Hidden Darkness
by MC Productions 737
Summary: "He had exceeded all expectations. Those heroes thought he was out of commission. But no. It could not be forever. He had risen above the odds. Like a dark, deadly, fearful Phoenix, He had risen from the ashes." Sonic the Hedgehog and friends are forced to face an old enemy. Sacrifices must be made. Sonic undergoes a new form. Twists and turns will have you clinging to your seat.
1. A False Accusation

**IMPORTANT:** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE:** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **IN** **PROGRESS...**

 **Sonic the Hedgehog**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter One: A False Accusation **

The hazy sun, smothered by the dense fog, weakly cast down a few rays of light upon the icy wasteland. The trees had long surrendered to an eternal blizzard, rows and rows of the tall wooden figures were now barren, except for a few. Those few trees that had managed to keep their leafy exteriors were smothered with layer upon layer of fresh, powdery, white snow.

The winter birds enlightened upon their branches and chirped a cheerful harmony. As if in offense, because of its current state, one of the trees swayed violently in the wind, scaring away a flock of carefree cardinals, whose breasts gleamed, in the pale sunlight, like balls of flames. They took wing into the snow whipped air, soon lost in the chaos of frozen rain.

Snowflakes were only visible on his jet black boots as he madly dashed through rows and rows of barren gnarled trees, that imploringly reached out to him with their bony branches. As he exhaled, his breath condensed in the air and departed in small puffs. He leapt effortlessly over the rocks that were bejeweled with a crystalline frost, that stubbornly clung to the stony jagged obstacles.

Anyone with slower reflexes would have tripped head over heels and succumbed to the thick layer of ice cold snow that covered the ground, most likely being instantly buried. Although the icy wasteland was acres long, the speedy visitor managed to reach the large body of frozen water in only a matter of minutes. After all this was an easy feat being that he was Sonic the Hedgehog, the fastest thing alive.

That morning he and his rival friend planned to meet up at this barren and forsaken wasteland in the hopes of retrieving a precious item that would even the odds with any of their numerous enemies. So after time spent on this plan, having perceived there would be slick, easy to slip on, ice, the blue hedgehog had transformed his boots into ice skates.

He effortlessly glided across the frozen lake; a perfect mirrored image of the stormy skies over the blue hedgehog, reflected back from the smooth icy structure, that had once been deep blue and teemed with life. He stopped at a chain of massive mountains, that barricaded him from reaching his final destination. The ice capped mountains loomed over the blue hedgehog, as if gloating over their immense height.

A strong gust of bitter wind soared down from the mountain range, pushing him closer to the towering mountains, challenging him to venture onward. He merely smiled and with a smirk, accepted the challenge, scaling one of the giant natural barriers as he would a small mound of hills. Sonic was soon perched on top of the peak of one of nature's greatest structures.

He gazed down at the forsaken wasteland and waited. He occasionally glanced at a silver wrist watch, the golden numbers read 5:30. The rays of the sunset broke through the thick clouds and cast a glow around him. Another merciless breeze blew his blue quills in his face. He carelessly brushed the spines from his electric green eyes and continued his patient vigil, the clock now read 6:45.

Five more minutes. Sonic thought. Then I have to assume he is a no show and I have to do what I came here for.

Sure enough as he expected, five minutes passed, and his teammate did not make a lofty appearance. Just as he was about to call his rival friend, with his silver wrist watch that multi-purposed as a communication device, it emerged from the dark abyss, that spliced between the twin of the mountains that the blue hedgehog had once continued a patient vigil.

A gargantuan snake like monster, with miles and miles of slick, wet from the water that flowed under the icy landform, pale blue, spiny coils, complete with a spike covered tail. Its brilliant, blood red eyes glittered hatefully as it noticed the courageous blue hedgehog. It swished its tail at the mountain from which Sonic had been standing on. The force from the slash, and the spikes catching in the recesses of the ice capped giant, caused the mountain to rumble in protestation as it began to crack and crumble to pieces.

"Too slow!" Sonic laughed as he launched himself off the crumbling mountain and into the air, sliding down the creature's icy back.

"Haaa!" The hedgehog slammed his fist into his foe's soft underbelly as the creature's snakelike body rose into the air, in an attempt to wrap its coils around its opposition. The beast roared in anger and surprised pain. Then opening its large mouth, revealing rows and rows of razor sharp, blindingly, white teeth, a huge, forked, slimy, purple tongue flicked out, wrapping around the hapless hedgehog.

"Hey!" Sonic cried out as he struggled to break free from the behemoth's grasp. The monster began to pull its tongue back into its mouth, taking the hedgehog along with it. Sonic gagged as he smelled the creature's putrid fish breath; a slimy glob of its saliva covered the blue hedgehog. Sonic was having a hard time breathing as the monster's salivation was smothering him. Then the worst happened, the beast swallowed him whole.

* * *

He sped through the wasteland, following the path that Sonic had previously taken, with the aid of his Chaos charged skates.

Darn it. He inwardly cursed. If something happens to that spineball... Then he launched himself off a rock, soaring through the air. He landed perfectly on his feet with a small smile as he heard a loud roar.

"Perfect." he said as he brushed snow off of his ebony, scarlet striped spines. "I made it just in time." Then he took out a dazzling, forest green chaos emerald. Closed his eyes, whispered two words and vanished.

Sonic threw out both of his hands as he slid seemingly endlessly through the slick, dark passageway that was the behemoth's throat.

It will not end this way. he thought as he desperately tried to stop his decent. Then from within the monster, he heard:

"You are going down!" It was Shadow the Hedgehog, who had just arrived on time and was preparing a fight with the ice beast. A glowing flash of energy charged light brightened up Sonic's prison, which was the stomach of the monster. After the flare of light, a loud and terrible cry issued from within the raging beast. The sound echoed within the belly of the beast, causing Sonic to cover his ears as the octaves seemed to shatter his ear drums. Another flash and with a sickeningly, wet, rip, a gap was made in the creature's, susceptible to damage, under belly.

Now that Sonic was free the massive, howling serpentine behemoth had two enemies to worry about. As it thrust its claws into the icy ground, better that its two opponents died than get a hold of the powerful object its whole life's purpose was to guard, cracks began to form. The frozen earth opened its mouth to receive the dying ice creature and the two hedgehogs. Shadow made a quick dash into the cave the dying beast had been guarding, grabbed a sparkling, snow, white emerald and smiled with triumph.

"Look out!" Sonic exclaimed as he threw himself at Shadow, knocking both himself and his ebony rival away from a newly formed gap in the ground. Having regained his balance, with a growl and flashing hazel golden eyes, vainly searching the ground and finally giving up on finding the fallen emerald, Shadow put full force into his Chaos powered skates, speeding away from his dismayed azure rival.

"Hey, Shadow!" Sonic called out and snatching a shimmering object from the collapsing ice, he quickly caught up and matched pace with his ebony rival. The ground was falling behind both the racers as they dashed faster and faster to the safety of the green hilltops that seemed to be drawing nearer and nearer with every few feet they put from themselves and the collapsing ice land. Eventually Sonic was no longer ice skating on frozen ground as his skates soon caught into the pebbly earth. As he struggled to free himself from the craggy earth, he flew into the air and crash landed on top of Shadow.

"Oof!" the pair called out as they rolled down a grassy, green hill and finally landed into a nearby creek, the dazzling, snow, white crystalline emerald landed on the bank of the creek that the two rivals had fallen into with a tiny splash. Sonic began to cough and cry out for help being that water was his kryptonite as he never had nor seemed to feel the need to learn how to swim.

"Oh for goodness sakes!" Shadow rolled his eyes. "It's just a small creek, its not the damn ocean!"

"Oh..." Sonic said as he soon came to his senses and noticed the little grayish brown tadpoles that swiftly swam through the one or two inch deep, small body of water.

"Good thing I fell into the kiddie pool." he laughed as he dipped his finger into the water, capturing one of the tiny pollywogs in a mini whirlpool. Shadow shook his head in disdain and turned away.

"Hey Shads," Sonic's grin grew wider as he taunted the ebony hedgehog, stepping out of the creek and squeezing the water out of one of his azure spines. "Too bad you came too late to defeat Snakey." Shadow did not move, not even so much as glanced at the blue hedgehog. Sonic could just imagine his rival's eyes flashing with anger, annoyance or broken pride.

"Shadow?"

"I do not have time for these silly games."

And sure enough as the ebony hedgehog turned around to face Sonic, his eyes were two dancing golden, hazel flames. Except it had nothing to do with a busted ego, low tolerance for his rival's childish mockery, or being upset by the idea that Sonic could even say he missed the fight when Shadow had been the one to save the spineball.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" roared Shadow and Sonic, who had previously been stooping down to pick up the white chaos emerald, had just enough time to dodge the chaos charged light spear.

"Just great, Shadow. What did you do that for, my spines are singed." Sonic whined as he pulled out a few quills that had been charred.

"Just forget it. You know nothing. You are blinded by your love for speed and yourself." the ebony hedgehog snarled as he advanced towards Sonic, who began to back slowly away.

"Now get out of here!" And Shadow's body started to glow as he was readying himself for another assault on the azure hedgehog.

"Alright! Alright!" Sonic nodded fervently. "I get the message!" And then he dashed away from his crazed rival, but he was not going to let it go. He would surely get to the bottom of this, even if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

Sonic reclined on the olive green chair that rested upon the woolly carpet. He started twiddling his thumbs as he continued replaying his strange encounter with Shadow over and over in his mind. The house he was at was a humble abode. The only places that seemed like separate entities from the house were the plane hangar and the laboratory.

The plane hangar boasted of housing over a thousand aircraft, all hand made by Sonic's best friend Miles Prower, better known as Tails. Tails was a fox kid that had far more intelligence than any of his older and more mature friends. He was handy with all kinds of tools, that he used to repair and create the most up to date machinery.

"Maybe he was having a bad day." Tails, suggested as he repaired the damage his X Tornado had taken during Sonic and Tails' latest battle against Dr. Eggman, a deranged yet genius mad scientist who was bent on ruling the world and bringing forth his 'Eggman Empire.' The plane was repolished a silvery golden hue so as to compliment its newly created abilities.

The plane was designed to withstand any attack Eggman would throw at them and even to return his own attacks upon his own head. The plane had two modes that would automatically initiate in the heat of war: Battle Mode and Speed Mode. Battle Mode would prep the plane to become an offensive weapon and the best form of defense against any of the pilot's enemies.

This mode was readied with a shield that can reach any size and strength and would even teleport the plane to a stealthy area for sneak attacks. Speed Mode, on the other hand, was designed for flight, enhanced with shields that could reach any strength level. In this mode, the plane could camouflage into any natural and man made background.

"Yeah. That could be it..." Sonic trailed.

"I think he was just being his usual stubborn, grouchy, poor sported self!" complained Knuckles as he fiddled with a ruby red chaos emerald. The emerald was instantly taken by a delicate, gloved hand.

"Reminds me of a certain Echidna I know." said Rouge the Bat as she examined the red chaos emerald, her sea green eyes glowing with curiosity and longing. Rouge, being a treasure huntress, had often searched for rare and powerful talismen such as the Chaos Emeralds. Now, for the first time in her life, she had succeeded in taking one from another treasure hunter and the protector of the Chaos Emeralds.

"What did you say?!" Knuckles shouted, savagely slamming his fists together and diving the jewel crazy bat, but only comically skidding on the hard concrete floor of the airplane hangar as she reflexively spread out her wings and flew away, landing a few feet from the stunned echidna.

"Oh please." drawled Rouge. "I have no time for these flirtatious fits of rage."

"What?!" Knuckles cheeks turned a pink hue. "You're batty! I would rather be stuck in solitary confinement than with you!"

"Whatever." Rouge said with a nonchalant flip of her wrist. Knuckles sat back down and began ranting about how incompetent of a spy Rouge was because of her greed and constant thieving nature. To which Rouge interrupted by calling Knuckles a simple minded hermit whose only friends were the emeralds he guarded.

"Excuse me." Tails called out, waving both hands in the air to get their attention, but Knuckles and Rouge were too absorbed in their argument to notice. Sonic exchanged looks with the exasperated fox, than shrugging his shoulders, apologetically, made a gesture as if he was eating out of a popcorn bucket.

"Here, Knuckies." Rouge smiled wryly and reluctantly dropped the emerald into a rather embarrassed Knuckles lap. After an awkward moment, in which both Rouge and Knuckles realized they had been arguing in front everyone, Tales took the chance to finish what he had been saying.

"Anyway," Tails shot Rouge and Knuckles an annoyed look, stroking his twin tails absentmindedly. "I am sure that Shadow will explain when he comes back. Meanwhile try to relax and please stop pacing or else you will wear a hole in the carpet."

"Okay..." and Sonic zoomed off without any explanation, leaving the snow white emerald nestled on the chair he had previously been sitting on.

* * *

Shadow felt as if the paint peeled walls of the alleyway were closing in on him. He had taken this shortcut to leave the city and get to wherever he was heading to. He had managed to reach the town square within minutes, knowing he would one day have to go back to the frozen wasteland.

Knowing that the ice beast was far from dead, unaware that Sonic had acquired the chaos emerald they had gone so far to get, and feeling resentment for Sonic's clumsy foolishness that made Shadow lose the prized gem in the first place, which for some reason unknown, he needed so badly.

He had not meant to hurt Sonic, he just wanted him gone so that Shadow would not have to deal with explaining his situation to the blue hedgehog. Had he seriously been offended that Sonic had dissed him by saying that he had missed the battle with the ice snake? What for?

Even if it was Shadow who had saved Sonic from being devoured by the ravenous beast, did he really care about one upping Sonic that badly? Was the violent outburst because of him? Shadow would have to worry about apologizing to Sonic later. Right now he needed to see someone, but who?

"Eggman." A voice answered. The ruggedness of the voice left Shadow with no denial, it was his own voice. Yet he had not intended to say that name. Or anything at all. He was losing control, badly. And this only made him angrier.

"What do you want with me?!" he shouted at seemingly no one. Then he heard the evil laughter, coming from himself.

In his frustration, he punched a hole in the wall of the alleyway and then he sliced it apart with a chaos spear. He dashed through it. Ready to go see Eggman.

* * *

A few days ago...

He had been in hiding. Slowly growing stronger. Waiting for the perfect time. He had been released from the parallel dimension he was trapped in after having been defeated in his attempt to gain as much power by destroying the world and every other dimension. But he had been stopped and his twin soul completely destroyed. All this would not have happened if it was not for him. The black , with scarlet stripes, hedgehog, the one with the alien blood and chaos powers.

"Shadow the Hedgehog." he snarled as he opened his hand to reveal an aqua blue chaos emerald. The emerald rested in the palm of his hand and as he closed his eyes it rose into the air and began to glow.

"It's time." he said with a mirthless smile and then he vanished via chaos control.

* * *

Sonic walked through the alleyway. The same alleyway, unknowingly, that Shadow had raced through to get to Eggman, a few minutes ago. The alleyway was a dark place, even in the daytime. A pile of molding garbage was stacked on an aluminum trash can labeled Recycling.

An assortment of garbage dotted the floor. Old banana peels, broken shards of beer bottles and other glass, an old TV set, a lumpy, tattered, dirty sofa that had the springs exposed. Sonic wrinkled his nose in disgust, it stunk a lot in there. Then he noticed the huge hole in the wall, smoke rising from it.

Shadow. he thought and then he dove for cover as he saw something whizz past him by the corner of his eye. He realized it was the TV set he had noticed during his walk through the narrow alleyway. The TV exploded in mid air and then Sonic heard footsteps. He whirled around and saw Silver the Hedgehog a few feet from him.

Did you?" Sonic asked." Silver merely nodded and smiled grimly.

"I did not want to have to do this, but you are not Sonic. You are a monster." And then he advanced towards the blue hedgehog. Sonic ducked as a table flew over his head. He spun attacked a cardboard box that was hurling towards him.

"You gotta be quicker than that." Sonic teased. "I do not wanna fight you so can you explain-"

"I have been thinking a lot about what I was told. I was debating whether this was the right thing to do or not. I was wondering could it be possible I was being duped again." said Silver with a pause, he closed his hazel golden eyes, cocking his head to the side.

"But then he showed me the truth and this time I cannot find any reason not to believe it. I mean you did cause the emerald to be lost and the real Sonic would not have been so easily eaten by that ice snake." The silver hedgehog laughed at how ridiculous he had been, thinking that the creature standing in front of him could possibly be his friend.

"So it must be a ploy and you must be a spy for Eggman, one of his minions or some interdimensional monster." Silver rose into the air, head bowed and eyes closed once more, holding his arms to the sky, palms spread out towards the speechless and befuddled azure hedgehog.

"And now you will pay for what you did to Sonic and the price is your life!" and Sonic rolled away as a lamp went smashing into the wall he had been examining a while ago.

"A monster? I am not a monster!"

"The exact thing I would expect a monster to say, but you cannot trick me. I refuse to fall for the lies of monsters again." Silver fumed. "I have had enough of this. It's no use." and Silver captured Sonic with his psychokinetic powers."

"H-Hey." Sonic stammered. "Let's not be hasty here!"

"And the so-called hero stammers." taunted Silver. "Nooo!" he cried out as Sonic broke free from Silver's psychokinetic powers and sped attacked the bemused hedgehog.

"This should do it!" Silver exclaimed as he recaptured Sonic just as the blue hedgehog was preparing himself for another attack against Silver.

Sonic's whole body felt like his body had been set aflame. His heart rate increased and sweat began to spill from him. He was having a hard time breathing and it felt like he had swallowed the glass from the beer bottles he had crunched underfoot earlier. His vision started to spot and just as he was about to pass out:

"Wait." said a calm, rugged voice. "I said to detain him, not kill him." Both hedgehogs turned to see the source of the voice.

"Shadow!" they both exclaimed.

"What's going on?" Sonic said as his vision returned to normal.

"Do not deny it." Shadow said cooly. "We all know you are not Sonic."

"What?!" exclaimed Sonic in confusion.

"You are merely Eggman's artificial darkness that had the ability to capture even the fastest being. You took Sonic the Hedgehog and he may be long gone as of now."

"How can you say that!" shouted Sonic.

"Silver." Shadow said, ignoring the bewildered Sonic. "Never mind what I said. He is too strong. Take care of Artificial Darkie here while I go to Eggman to find our friend, the real Sonic." He took out an aqua blue chaos emerald, whispered and vanished.

"Alright." Silver said grimly and blocked Sonic's path as the blue hedgehog raced toward the dissipating Shadow. Sonic was slammed into a wall and looked at Silver.

"Please Silver." he began. "Something's wrong with Shadow. I am really Sonic."

"And I am really Eggman." Silver said laughing sarcastically. "Please I know you are not Sonic, Sonic would not be half as cowardly as you are being right now. That was a nice try. But I will show just how fake you are. Haaaaa!" And he flung Sonic once more.


	2. The Destruction of Power

**IMPORTANT:** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE:** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **IN** **PROGRESS...**

 **Sonic the Hedgehog**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter Two** **: The Destruction of Power**

Angel Island was home to Knuckles, the last known member of the Echidna clans. Located in the sky, this island was an ideal sanctuary and a wonderful place to kick back and relax. Which is what the red headed echidna had been doing before he realized that the Master Emerald was in danger. The Master Emerald looked like all the other Chaos Emeralds, except it was a whole lot larger than a normal emerald and was of more significance.

This special gem had a deep green hue, but with more dimension. Besides its multi dimensional design, the Master Emerald was the power source of Angel Island. If the emerald's powers would be compromised, the island would inevitably fall into the sea. That is why Angel Island consisted of four inhospitable regions, made by the four natural elements: fire, water, wind and earth.

The fire region consisted of many hidden and unhidden volcanoes that were always active. In this particular area, there was a limited source of water and a significant amount of fiery, hot, molten lava. This place looked like could fit the very description of Hell, minus the Devil and his demonic armies and the damned. Only a small body of water, a puddle, offered any traveler moisture and relief from the boiling temperature that seemed to reach escalating degrees with every volcanic eruption.

Besides the lava reef, there was a watery region that consisted mainly of ice. In fact, this was the same exact place that Sonic and Shadow had previously defeated the ice snake. The truth to this snow beast was that it never actually died. Like a fearful, ugly counterpart to the Phoenix, the ice behemoth rose from its death as a new and stronger creature. Readying itself for another encounter with the two only living beings that have ever thwarted it. But that monster would have to wait another time for another showdown with the hedgehogs.

Now the third natural element was wind. The third region lacked wind, except for a dry breeze that would swiftly push its way through the arid desert land. This desert had sand dunes and the tombs of some of the greatest members of the echidna clans. It is legend that their spirits still guard the land and will relentlessly pursue an uninvited guest until they could no longer threaten the peace of Angel Island.

The last half of the windy region was only air. Just air. Only creatures that were given natural flight, could travel around that area. Not even the courageous, and seemingly able to do anything, Sonic the Hedgehog, or his second rate rival, Shadow the Hedgehog, ever travelled through that area, since the air was filled with noxious fumes that only threatened aircraft.

The last region was earth. In fact, this was the only region that Knuckles was fully familiar with. He knew that this was the region that connected all four of those regions together. This was also the only region that was fully inhabitable by all creatures that were ever created. This was where the Sanctuary ruins were located, And also home to a beach, that was hidden within a vast overabundance of rainforest trees and undergrowth. There was no threat to be found in that area, except the guardian of the Emeralds, which was Knuckles current occupation.

* * *

Now the Master Emerald was heavily guarded. A sacred item in Knuckles possession, he would fight to kill to protect it from ever falling into the wrong hands or anybody's hands for that matter. Keeper of the chaos emeralds, Knuckles constantly watched over them, unless Sonic or Dr. Eggman ever got a hold of any of the Seven Chaos Emeralds.

Not as powerful as the Master Emerald, but still powerful enough to pose a threat to the well being of Angel Island should the bearer of all Seven intend to harm or harness the power of the Master Emerald. Knuckles the Echidna trailed through the ruins of the Sanctuary on Angel Island, trying to disregard his fears.

He sat down on an ancient stone throne emblazoned with the emblem of his proud and once powerful clan. The emblem was of the Master Emerald enraptured by bright, dazzling light, layered in gold and silver with beautiful tiny rubies inlaid all around. He settled down a little with prideful assurance that the Emerald was in the right hands of a guardian with perfect stealth, excellent reflexes, and a determination to grind any enemy who threatened the peace of his beloved home and his prized treasure.

And he was soon lost in thought, mainly replaying his previous conversation with Rouge, that pesky yet beautiful bat. Woah! Where were these thoughts coming from? Sure he felt like he was drowning in the sea green of her eyes and her voice was like a song sung by angels and the birds of the air.

But did he really have those feelings? Could he really feel that way? Nah, the mundanity of love was only for those who did not have more important matters to attend to, like guarding a mystical powerful emerald. But then again, Rouge was always on his mind and he always did blush when she teased him, his face getting red hot. One day. He decided with an air of mild excitement. I will tell her how I-but then to his disappointment and annoyance his thoughts were cut off when he heard a whooshing sound, and was soon occupied by the task at hand

"That could only be chaos control." he grunted. "I wonder what Sonic is up to."

All of a sudden an area next to the shell shocked echidna began to warp. A certain space in the air beginning to tear open. Knuckles peered cautiously into the tear and was shocked to see a strange sight. Sonic was getting battered and beaten by Silver. For the first time ever, the poor blue hedgehog was losing.

Suddenly Knuckles heard a low, rugged voice: "Chaos Control." and his whole body began to slow down with time. He watched with wide open eyes as the tear in the air sealed back up and the blue and silver hedgehog were no longer able to be seen.

"What the heck is going on?" he snarled as he struggled to break free of the chaos hold that kept him frozen along with time. "What's going on?"

"Calm down, Knuckles." said the same rugged voice that had called the command that caused Knuckles to fall victim to time freeze. "Chaos Control."

Someone appeared in front of the angry echidna, two chaos emeralds spiraling around him. The warp in the air dissolving.

* * *

A month ago...

He ran a finger across his rather large nose in an imitation of his ultimate nemesis. His eyes twinkling behind his glasses, he pulled a lever and watched as darkness clashed with artificial light.

"Artificial light is the weakest form of light and darkness can easily overtake it, but it is enough to sustain your life." Dr. Eggman explained to the dark rush of power that filled the LED bulb. "Now you will be able to regain power and send this world into utter chaos! The Eggman Empire will finally come to be and nothing can stop me! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

A whirring sound of machine cogs grinding against one another, retaining the spark of light filtering from the bulb and a chaos emerald. "Well I guess it is not entirely artificial." Eggman mused. "I do need to give you a charge of chaos light so you can accomplish my goal and finally achieve the revenge you have long been seeking."

"Eggman?" a detached voice inquired. "Is it time?

"Not just yet, my friend." said Eggman as he clasped his hands together in glee. "You need some time to regain your strength and locate those pesky hedgehogs." Then he pressed a button that released the darkness, now charged with false light and chaos light, so that it landed with a rush in front of its new master.

The darkness began to take a form, the form of a hedgehog. It extended a hand out to Eggman and the genius and mad scientist placed an aqua blue chaos emerald into his clawed hand. It turned towards Eggman, a gleam in its green eyes.

"Shadow the Hedgehog." it snarled and raised its clawed hand to the sky, emerald in hand. "

"When can I see him?" And with a cold smile it added, "I have a little something for him, something he will die for."

* * *

"Shadow?" Knuckles said in shock. "What are you doing?"

Shadow merely chuckled a low dark laugh. "Calm down my friend. I just need to get something real quick and then you can continue your usual duties. Or maybe you won't." he smiled, a cold smile. And to Knuckles' astonishment, Shadow ascended the steps leading to the Master Emerald. With a curious tilt of his head, the red and black hedgehog reached to touch the gleaming green gem.

"Don't you dare!" Knuckles snarled, attempting to slam his knuckles together, but he had been put in slow motion, so that the two knuckles never joined, before he flew across the grassy land as Shadow gave a careless wave of his hand. "H-h-how did you d-d-do that?" Knuckles stammered in amazement. Never in his life had Knuckles experienced Shadow's powers so strong. It was as if he had psychokinetic powers like Silver the Hedgehog.

"Calm down." Shadow hissed and before Knuckles could utter a sound of protestation, Shadow placed his hands gently on the gleaming surface of the Emerald. "Aaaaargh!" He exclaimed and then something that sent chills down Knuckles spines happened, as the power of the Emerald rushed into the screaming Shadow and the Emerald's glow began to dull out.

"I can feel it." hissed Shadow. "The power. Soon I can fulfill my destiny. My vow. My revenge. Ssssoon." Shadow's voice had changed so that it sounded like someone else's, someone familiar.

"What the-" began Knuckles, but then.

"Ssssilence fool." and the echidna was launched into the air and thrown into a pillar. The impact caused the cracked pillar to shiver slightly.

"I need to concentrate..." Shadow's normal rugged voice returned and with an evil smile he added. "You won't be needing this." The Emerald began to splinter into a million shards to Knuckles disdain and horror.

* * *

Amy Rose paced the oakwood floor of her living room. She sadly gazed over the pony wall at the rectangular table centered in the dining room that was adjacent to her living room. The table was covered in a red heart shaped table cloth adorned with little roses at the edges. On top of the table cloth were two pink rose shaped plates. Amy had spent nearly all day fixing up Sonic's favorite meal: hot dogs.

Sure this kind of food was more for game day rather than a romantic date, but still Amy just knew the steak that she had once fantasized serving her love interest would not be so enthusiastically eaten. The hot dogs were decorated with ketchup and mustard. However the hot dogs and the buns had long gone cold. The ice cream that Amy had dolloped into two pink bowls, with roses and hearts painted on them, was a melted mess and flowing onto the table cloth.

"Aaargh!" Amy cried out. "Where is he?!" Then she began to sob. She walked over to the dining room, took out her piko piko hammer and slammed it down on the table. Everything went crashing around the place and scattered messily upon the floor. Staining the pink, fuzzy carpet.

"He always does this!" Amy screamed in frustration. "And I thought he loved me." Tears fell down Amy's eyes as she wiped her ice cream, ketchup and mustard stained hammer on her dress.

Then she walked away, out the front door. Letting it slam so hard that the split table finally collapsed. Just like her heart did when she realized she had been stood up. Just like Sonic did as Silver threw him into a couple trashcans back in the alley. Just as Angel Island collapsed into the sea.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"The Master Emerald!" Knuckles exclaimed and attempted to rush over to it but to no avail. He was still in slow motion.

Shadow laughed derisively. "Nice try, Echidna. But you can never break my hold on you. Have a nice day. I got to go check on my favorite hedgehog. Oh wait, that's me." And he vanished. No warp or tear in the air, no ability to see where he was headed. He had just disappeared.

The Master Emerald, Knuckles thought dejectedly. It's powers are in him... And Knuckles continued his run to the sacred pyramid where the Emerald's shattered pieces remained. Knuckles kneeled and closed his eyes in concentration as he scooped up nearly every piece of his prized possession. "Let's see if this works." he mumbled to himself as he laid the pieces back on the floor. He took out the little ruby chaos emerald, he had been fiddling with earlier. He raised the emerald and watched it soar into the air above his head.

"Power of the emerald. The ruby chaos emerald. Your power source has fallen, but I am the guardian of the Master Emerald. I am the server. I have the power to give back to the Emerald. To restore its power." he stood up, and lifted up his arms to the sky. "Now hear me! Reawaken the Master Emerald! Give back the power! Reestablish its power to save the Island! Hear me!" he roared.

The earth began to shake as lightning flashed and struck the seven pillars around the sacred pyramid. The pillars began to send lasers of the lightning so that it attached to the pyramid. Electrocuting both the Emerald shards and Knuckles. The Emerald shards began to pulse with light and the light grew stronger. Knuckles picked one up and said.

"Rejoin, you shards. Rejoin and become one." The other pieces rose up and began to reassemble, soon the Emerald was standing before the joyous echidna, but there was a piece missing.

Knuckles looked down and watched as the shard in his hand twitched to be free and join the Emerald. He let it go and watched as it filled the chink in the Emerald. Then something went wrong. The Emerald's power began to die and as it did Knuckles heard a detached voice, Shadow's voice, but not really Shadow's usual rugged voice, it was the hissing cruel voice that sounded so familiar but could not be placed, say. "It is hopeless.

As long as the Emerald's powers are in me, it will not work. But still the Chaos Emeralds work and they will lead to the downfall of my enemies and anyone who gets in my way." And the voice faded.

"Thanks Shadow." Knuckles smiled wistfully. "Now I can rescue Sonic." and he looked at the ruby red emerald still rotating in the air. "Do me a favor will you?" Knuckles asked the emerald.


	3. Puzzling Discoveries

**IMPORTANT:** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE:** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **ANNOUNCEMENT:**

 **Had a guest review inform me that the following chapters are the same:**

 **Chapter Three: Puzzling Discoveries**

 **Chapter Four: It is Time**

 **I unfortunately I am unable to locate the similarities between these chapters.**

 **I would appreciate if someone, maybe the kind visitor, were to inform me where these two chapters are the same.**

 **Thanks for your review.**

 **Have a good one!**

 **\- MC Productions 737**

 **IN** **PROGRESS...**

 **Sonic the Hedgehog**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter Three** **: Puzzling Discoveries**

Shadow walked through a forest with blackened, charred trees, whose barren, gnarled limbs hung low like arms, reaching out to strangle the ebony, scarlet striped, hedgehog. The scene was dismal as the evening gloom hung about the burnt forest, and a cold, frosty wind whistled through the copper colored leaves.

The fog of nightfall and the pale moonlight, that barely filtered through the dense clouds, only added to the dark mood that was setting in. The twisted and broken down trees creaked and groaned as Shadow, feeling a sudden sense of apprehension, cautiously and slowly walked on. He heard the hooting of an owl, a ghostly sound that sent an involuntary shiver down his back.

The Ultimate Life Form was usually not one who could be scared so easily, but with his current predicament and the mood of the area he was traveling through, he could not help but feel a growing sense of dread. He nearly jumped out of his skin and gave a shout, as suddenly, a loud screeching sound and the flapping of wings from a raven, having been disturbed by the crunching of his feet on the dead, dry leaves, leapt at him, in angry aggression.

"Really?" He scolded himself. "You are scared of a common raven?" He continued walking on, running his hand along the scarred and snarled trees as he did.

"What next?" He mocked himself. "Going to run in fright of a tiny rabbit?" He scoffed and proceeded his cautious and vigil walk through the burned down forest.

Eventually, he arrived at his final destination. Carved, by natural design, into the side of the tall mountain terrain, that separated the forests from other geographical biomes, was a cave. The gaping mouth of the cave was an unwelcome invitation, but Shadow knew that it was the answers to all the questions he had.

So he slipped into the cave entrance, hoping he would find Eggman. He crawled through the narrow passageway, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the overhanging stalactites, and scraping his hands and knees in the stalagmites.

He finally reached the end to the claustrophobic inducing entryway and jumped down, into a much wider and taller caveway. He walked a few more miles before he hit a frad end, at least that would be what it seemed like to the less observant and expectant person.

To Shadow, however, this was obviously where Eggman's secret base would be hidden. After all, Eggman was creepy enough to find this place, the burned forest and dark caved, a wonderful place to work on his evil schemes.

"So much for secret." Shadow muttered with a small smile as he gazed at the words carved on the far wall that read:

KEEP OUT! NOT SECRET BASE!

"I thought the same thing too."

Shadow whirled around. Nobody was there.

"Who are you and what do you want?" snarled the startled the hedgehog as his quills stood on end and he readied himself for a fight.

"Relax, Shads." said a rather beaten up hedgehog as he emerged from the shadows.

The poor guy seemed to have been badly beaten that he appeared to be broken. He had a sort of limp and the normal eager movement in his steps was gone, but he still seemed to walk proudly as if he had come from a raging battle and had won a great victory. Both eyes were bruised, but only one was swollen shut. His normally envied styled spines were all out of place. The only thing that remained was his amused smile that seemed to never leave his face.

Oh no. Shadow thought as he shook his head in disbelief. "How did you know I would be here? And what the heck happened to you."

"You didn't expect me to be completely helpless in the situation you left me in." Sonic replied with a small sideways smile. "I mean it took a lot for him to give in, but he eventually did. By force that is." Sonic added and his grin grew wider as Shadow's scowl deepened.

"Who?" Shadow asked.

"You know who." Sonic rolled his eyes. "You seriously aren't going to deny your unfair and false accusation right?"

Before Shadow could even express his confusion, he was punched in the face by a rather pissed off Sonic, who had seemed to have appeared right in front of the black, red striped hedgehog.

* * *

A couple hours ago...

While Shadow ambushed Knuckles and stole the Master Emerald's powers, Sonic was about ready to give up. He felt like every part of his body was numb and dead. His mouth had gone dry and his head hurt from the heavy impact he kept taking as Silver mercilessly slammed him against the alley walls, dumpsters, and a series of almost demolished, glass items. Too many to describe in detail, but enough that the blue hedgehog was all cut up and bleeding.

Sonic limped towards Silver, the normal determination and hope gone from his electric green eyes. He gave a series of coughs and cleared his throat, but only a gurgling sound was all Sonic could make. Sonic dropped to his knees, coughing and sputtering, blood dripping from his mouth, the taste of it bitter on his tongue.

After a series of more coughs, sputters, and blood dripping to the cracked alley pavement floor, Sonic got off the ground, rubbing his sore shoulder, continued limping towards the stunned and guilty telekinetic hedgehog.

"Why don't you just end it now?" he asked his silver rival, he practically pled it but his pride, which had remained unbroken, prevented Silver from detecting Sonic's desperation.

"I-I- c-c-ca-can't." Silver stammered and then stared at his hands in dismay and denial.Was he really hurting one of his closest friends?

Sure Shadow had said that the being that stood weakly in front of him wasn't Sonic, but did that justify it? Was Shadow even telling the truth? Or was he the real monster?

"Do it." Sonic begged, his resolve finally shattering like the glass he had smashed into multiple times as he had been in Silver's psychokinetic clutches. "Just do it. Anything is better than this. I do not want you to keep hurting me. Just end it..."

And then it happened.

* * *

A week ago...

The aqua chaos emerald was nestled in his clawed hand as he spied on the unsuspecting black hedgehog.

He saw his enemy's hazel golden eyes glow from the setting sunlight. The waves crashed back and forth along the sandy coast. Soon the sky darkened as the sun surrendered to nighttime. The stars strewn about the sky glistened against the surface of the dark waters, like beautiful diamonds that shone so bright in contrast to the dark blue and indigo color of the night sky.

The pale moon reflected against the ocean as the bioluminescence resurfaced for another night of fun and feasting. The glowing of their tiny, microscopic bodies added to the spectacular scenery of that fine evening. This was his sanctuary. It wasn't just the beauty and serenity that lured him to the beach every sunset and moonrise.

It was also the fact that Sonic hated the water, therefore he loathed the beach. Shadow would not have to worry about that pesky blue spineball. Little did he know that it would have been better to have had Sonic's company as he was unknowingly being spied on. Spied on by someone with cruel intentions. Deadly intentions.

The moonlight gleamed against his green eyes. Hatred filled his heart. His mind whirred with revenge. He was bent on handing out his retribution. He reached out a clawed hand, mere inches from his hapless nemesis, he could almost taste the deliciousness of victory and ending his rival's life.

"Sssoon." hissed he as he watched Shadow swimming in the dark body of water, unaware to the present danger and the fact that someone who he had believed was long gone had returned.

"Ssssoon we will meet again." His enemy coldly vowed as he laughed silently and mirthlessly to himself.

* * *

A red light began to flicker in between the two stalemated hedgehogs. And the light got brighter and brighter. Blinding the two.

"What now?!" exclaimed Sonic as he curled his hands into fists, his previous disposition of hopelessness seemed to dissipate as he became more and more frustrated with the new display that had unexpectedly unfolded before his eyes.

"Who's there!" shouted Silver readying himself for an attack. But suddenly the light died down and revolving between the two was a chaos emerald. A ruby chaos emerald.

Knuckles. Sonic thought to himself and then he made a dive for the emerald. However Silver was way ahead of him. Using his psychokinetic abilities to bring the emerald into the palm of his open hand.

"Look here," Silver said. "I don't know who you really are and I don't want to end up hurting you if you really are Sonic. But-"

"Let's be real here." said a gruff voice. "We all know you don't really mean that. You can't justify harming an innocent person. Now give me back my emerald." His purple gaze fixed on Silver, preparing to dodge an attack from the telekinetic hedgehog.

"You." Silver said in disbelief. "How?"

"Look," Knuckles smiled. "Why don't I answer that lovely question after I teach you a lesson!" He slammed his knuckles together and launched himself into the air for an assault.

"I don't think so!" And Knuckles was thrown into a heap of moldering garbage.

Sonic took advantage of the opportunity and spun attacked the unsuspecting Silver.

"Aaaagh!" Silver cried out as he slammed into the alley wall. "You will pay for that!"

"Shut up!" yelled Knuckles as his fist connected with Silver's face. Suddenly both Sonic and the echidna were captured in a blue glow.

"I-it's n-no u-use." gasped Silver as he raised both his outstretched arms to the sky.

"Haaaaa!" and his two opponents flew through the air and landed on a pile of black garbage bags.

"I had just about enough of this." Sonic complained, as he glanced at the fuming echidna that had fallen onto his lap.

"So have I." Knuckles growled as he leaped out of Sonic's lap and dusted himself off.

"Teamwork?" Sonic asked as he held out his hand for the redhead to take.

"Let's." Agreed Knuckles as he grabbed the blue hedgehog's hand and launched both of them into the air.

* * *

Shadow staggered back, completely taken aback by Sonic's random and unexplained assault.

"What was that for!" he snarled as he rubbed his cheek with his hand, knowing that a bruise would form soon after.

"For this!" shouted Sonic, indicating his present appearance, as he placed a ruby red chaos emerald into a pouch that was carelessly slung over one shoulder. "You think you can just fake it away, but you can't, you faker." Sonic shook his quills and wiped the dirt off his face, only making himself look messier than before. He them examined his arms and legs, checking for bruises, scratches, and cuts. Ignoring Shadow's protestations and denials, but the azure hedgehog finally came to attention when:

"How dare you falsely accuse me, I d-" but the ebony hedgehog was interrupted when his azure rival yelled.

"How dare I accuse YOU." Sonic aggressively advanced towards his rival, malice clearly written over his face, his normal amused smile changed into a frown.

His electric green eyes seemed to be made up of the components of lightning and seemed to flash with every contemptuous thought. He balled his hands into fists, continuing his advancement towards his ebony rival.

"Now see here, Sonic," Shadow said as he stepped back, bumping against one of the ice cold stone walls of the cave. "I did not accuse you of anything."

"Oh really!" shouted Sonic, his cheeks taking on a pinkish hue as he swung a fist at Shadow. The ebony hedgehog, having foreseen the attack, grabbed Sonic's fist right before it met his face.

"Sonic, you gotta calm down. I seriously, honestly do not know what the heck you are angry about. Can you please ex-"

But Shadow's words were cut off as Sonic socked him in the stomach with his free hand. Taking advantage of his rival as he clutched his stomach and gasped to catch the breath that was stolen from him, the azure hedgehog began speed punching his opponent, just as one might do to a punching bag.

"That is enough!" Shadow fumed angrily as he jumped over Sonic. "I didn't come here to fight, I want answers!"

"From who?" Sonic said with a small frown as he crossed his arms, stubbornly clinging to the anger that seemed to flow through his veins, like hot, molten lava.

"Eggman." seethed Shadow. "I have a feeling he is behind all this."

"All what?" Sonic tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for an answer.

"Your current penchant for hurting me!" the ebony hedgehog exclaimed as he began to walk away.

"Hey, we aren't done here!" And the azure hedgehog tackled down his retreating rival.

"We are now! Chaos Con-" However Sonic was not about to just let his rival leave without an explanation or apology or having his just desserts.

Sonic knocked the green chaos emerald from Shadow's outstretched hand and rolled over the ebony hedgehog, attempting to make a grab for the emerald. But Shadow, expecting no easy fight, tackled Sonic, pulling him back, before rushing over to pick up the emerald that rolled along the cave floor.

Sonic jumped to his feet and body slammed Shadow to the ground, smashing his face into the floor, then the azure hedgehog bent down and scooped the emerald off the floor. However, Shadow was not going to give up that easily, he swung his leg, knocking Sonic's feet right from under him, sending the emerald flying from his hands.

"Just stop, Sonic." growled Shadow, as he stepped over Sonic, sprawled on the floor and a little stunned from hitting his head on a hefty stalagmite that grew from the ground. "Before you get hurt. Again.."

"Wow." Was all the azure hedgehog said as he got back to his feet, dusting off dust. Then he lunged at Shadow, catching his ebony rival by surprise. Shadow was now attempting to get Sonic off his back, as Sonic clung to him and attempted to snatch the emerald from Shadow's hand.

"Let's stop now." Shadow fumed, finally managing to shake Sonic off his shoulders, but not before Sonic managed to knock the emerald from the Ultimate Life Form's hands. Sonic dove between Shadow's legs, caught the emeralds, rolled out of his rival's reach, and felt a sense of accomplishment.

"Gee, Shadow." Sonic said as he got up from the ground, the emerald in his tight grip, his usual taunting grin beginning to make its reappearance. "Since when do you run from a fight?

"Give it back!"

Here, catch!" And Sonic threw the emerald, as he would a baseball. It flew through the air and Shadow ran like mad to get it, but Sonic was too fast for him, as his azure rival bolted and caught the prized jewel.

"Too slow." Yawned he, as he launched the emerald back into the air, watching it bounce back and forth from stalactite to stalagmite, finally kneeling down and scooping it back up.

"No reflexes, Shads?" And it was in the air once again.

"Ugh!" Shadow shouted as he slammed Sonic against the cave wall. "Enough. I have no time for these games."

"Batter up!" Sonic called as he eased his way from between the cave wall and the pissed off Shadow. He broke off a stalagmite and threw the emerald into the air, swinging the rock formation like a bat. The emerald shot through the air and into the far end of the cave.

"Home run!" Sonic yelled in Shadow's ear and sped off to get the emerald.

"Okay. I am done playing games." he fumed as he fixed his striped spines back into place.

Catch!" And Shadow attempted to catch the gem that sailed over his head, but it continued to fall into the inky, black shadows of the deeper recesses of the cave.

As Shadow raced over to get it, previously having stuffed Sonic into the narrow passageway that led to the cave entryway, he tripped and stumbled. Inches from where he knew the emerald would fall. He got to his feet and lunged forward, but from the darkness, a gloved hand emerged, catching the emerald before he could.

"Why hello, Shadow." said a voice from the shadows of the cave. "We need to have a little talk. Sonic, you, and I."

"Hello, Shads." Sonic laughed, having managed to squeeze out of the passageway and now waving tauntingly at the ebony, scarlet striped, hedgehog. Sonic then with a broad smile, waved towards the darkness, and proceeded to walk over.

Shadow now knew that he was not going to have to face off with just the spineball, but with someone else as well.


	4. It is Time

**IMPORTANT: ** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE: ** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **Had a guest review inform me that the following chapters are the same:**

 **Chapter Three: Puzzling Discoveries**

 **Chapter Four: It is Time**

 **I unfortunately I am unable to locate the similarities between these chapters.**

 **I would appreciate if someone, maybe the kind visitor, were to inform me where these two chapters are the same.**

 **Thanks for your review.**

 **Have a good one!**

 **\- MC Productions 737**

 **IN PROGRESS...**

 **Sonic the Hedgehog**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter Four: It is Time**

"Uhhhmphh" a strange sound escaped from Silver's throat as Knuckles, having been launched into the air by Sonic, punched the psychokinetic hedgehog in the stomach, cutting out his breath.

"Haaaa!" Sonic cried out as he sped attacked the recovering Silver.

"Take that!" Knuckles shouted as he punched Silver in the stomach once more. "And that!" Now Knuckles fist collided into Silver's face, forcing it to jerk to the left, giving Sonic the chance to grab the chaos emerald from Silver's outstretched hand.

"Too easy!" laughed Sonic as he repeatedly sped attacked the psychokinetic hedgehog, then Knuckles launched himself into the hair. He glided through the air towards Silver who was dazed from the previous attacks, thrusting his knuckles at the bewildered hedgehog. His fists collided with Silver's face, the impact caused Silver's face to turn a pinkish hue as he began to stumble around the place.

"Ahhhhhh" Silver fell into a heap of moldering garbage bags and did not get up again.

"That should teach him" grunted Knuckles as he raised both his fists into the air in victory.

"Yeah, thanks for the help Knuckles." Sonic said with a smile as he picked up the now unconscious Silver. "Care to take out the trash?"

"Absolutely!" Knuckles handed Sonic a deep sea blue emerald and with that the two departed via chaos control, appearing in the desert of Angel Island.

* * *

Seconds later, minutes before the Present...

"We can leave him here I guess." said Sonic, "No way he can get to us from here."

"Especially without these!" Knuckles raised the two chaos emeralds into the air with triumph.

"I will take those..." a whispery voice and then a rush of darkness and the two chaos emeralds were gone!

"I do not have time for this!" Shadow's calm and nonaggressive composure seemed to vanish as quickly as a traveler did with chaos control.

"Neither do I." said the newcomer, his violet eyes glistening with annoyance. "But I want my emeralds and the Emerald back!"

"Now look h-Emerald?" Shadow said with surprise, "You mean the Master Emerald?"

"Yes, that exact Emerald!" Knuckles advanced towards the ebony hedgehog, "I will take it from you willingly or by force!" his cheeks took on a pinkish hue.

"Please return the Emerald, Shadow." Sonic said with a smirk. "Yeah, like that is gonna work!" and with a roll of his eyes, hands balled into fists, he moved closer to his bewildered rival.

"Wow...the Emerald huh?" the ebony hedgehog brushed his hand through his black and scarlet red quills in agitation. "Eggman..." he hissed.

"What does that loony scientist got to do with this?" mused Knuckles as he rested his arm against the stone cold wall of the cave they were in.

"I already told Sonic that I have nothing to do with these strange happenings and that I must talk to Eggman!" Shadow said impatiently. "Now I will be going." but before he could even take a step a rushing sound stopped him. "Not you too." he groaned.

The air rippled as Silver appeared, a bright sunlight yellow emerald in his hand. "Yes me." he said with exasperation , eyeing the three surprised anthropomorphic animals. "Can someone please tell me what the heck is going on?"

"How did you get here!?" was the trios reply.

"I found myself lucky when those two-" he indicated the azure hedgehog and red echidna with an accusatory finger. "-decided to drop me off in the desert, but I got ahold of this." Silver brandished the yellow chaos emerald with a smile and wave of his hand.

"Put that down!" Knuckles and Sonic warned, too late.

As if a fire had been lit, a dark smokiness began to evolve from thin air, a hand, or rather a claw, stretched out from within the pillar of darkness, grabbing the glowing emerald.

"Noooooo!" Silver cried out, as to everyone's horror, especially Shadow's, the darkness then rushed into the psychokinetic hedgehog.

* * *

Meanwhile...

He was watching the unsuspecting hedgehogs and echidna, as they quarreled, with mild amusement and great disdain. So like those pathetic, megalomaniacal creatures to have a bout about who was innocent and who was guilty.

 _In your cases, all of you are, guilty that is._ He thought with a mirthless smile as he examined the ruby red emerald that he had recently acquired from two of his enemies.

Then an opportunity opened up, a chance to reveal his might and power.

A chance to show those four why they should have never crossed his path, why they should have never thwarted his mission, and why they never should have destroyed him and his brother.

He took one last look at the gem resting in his claw, before he vaporized into a thick smokiness and soared over to meet the quarreling friends.

Once he had possession of the saffron emerald, he went straight for Silver. He could feel the power of psychokinesis radiating from the young, naive hedgehog and he knew he must possess it for himself.

So he gushed into the screaming hedgehog and broke through his very power core, just like he had previously done to the ebony hedgehog whose mouth was currently agape.

Relax...He spoke to the telekinetic hedgehog, I only want some of your power. I need to teach a lesson to your three friends. Then I will leave you alone. For now.

"AUUUUUGHHHH!" Silver cried out as the smoky darkness continued to seep into him. "It wants my powers!" He screamed out as he tried to struggle away from the being that was now trying to enter him.

"Damn it!" Shadow snarled as he snatched the forest emerald from a confused and distracted Sonic. "Chaos Control!" he shouted. Nothing happened.

Silver fell to the floor in agony as the power core within was split apart.

 _I only want some of your power..._

Hissed an all too familiar voice, the very whispers seemed to split Silver's skull open, as the words penetrated his mind, the feeling of acid gave rise to a powerful and angry headache.

* * *

Sonic was too shocked to do anything, he did notice when Shadow took the emerald from him. He saw the flashes of chaos controlled waves as Shadow screamed "Chaos Control" over and over, nothing happened of course.

Sonic could not move a muscle.

 _You are next..._

Sonic fell to his knees as those three words repeated themselves in his head. If this kept up the azure hedgehog would be driven into insanity. "Quit it already! I get the message, you want my power! Well I don't have any!"

 _We will see about that..._

Silver fell to his knees, the headache felt like a drum beating within his mind, as if Amy Rose was repeatedly smashing his head with her Piko Piko Hammer.

 _I lied..._

The whispered words seemed to bounce back and forth in the poor hedgehog's skull.

 _I_ _need_ _control_. _Sonic_ _the_ _Hedgehog_ _will_ _be_ _harder_ _to_ _siphon_...

With a wild jerk and a shriek, Silver passed out. His body lifted into the air as if some invisible giant lifted him up with an invisible great hand. Suddenly to the shock of the others, a dark violet smoky substance, the kind that had rushed into Silver earlier, enveloped the psychokinetic hedgehog.

Just as he had been quickly overtaken and lifted up, he was brought down to the ground. His body shaking so violently, everyone almost expected it to explode. But it did not. Instead the body rose off the ground once more and landed in a standing position.

His eyes were closed, until they were not. And all they saw was the brilliant, glowing lime color of the eyes of an oh too familiar yet long forgotten enemy.

"That is better." It was his voice, Silver's, but sounded more cruel and cold and calculating.

"Now it is time..." He hissed with a mirthless smile, his eyes gleaming with a savage, insatiable hunger.

* * *

His lime green eyes glowed with an evil that no one could comprehend, not even Dr. Eggman who had released him in the first place. But the mad scientist would have to figure out how to control this ornery and unpredictable personality later. He had another task at hand, finding those pesky hedgehogs. They had threatened his rise to power for the last time and now they would pay.

"You already attacked all three of these heroes, haven't you." He said with contempt at the word "heroes."

"Yesss. In fact-" But before he could finish, Eggman cut him off.

"That's good to hear, if you had no past fighting experience with these pests I would very much regret setting you free."

"Don't you dare interrupt me like I am some lowly henchman of yours! I am the very incarnation of destruction and chaos. I am the end of this world and the dimensions that no mere mortal, such as yourself have ever even imagined the very existence. Watch yourself or you will meet an end worse than all three of my rivals put together."

He had transformed into a fearful being, no longer the form of the one he had vowed to overshadow. He was now made of pure darkness, his eyes were no longer like that of his rival. They were a brilliant, blood red and had iridescent green irises. His body was crystalline and a billow of dark violet mist emanated from his body.

"Uhhh-Uhhh" was all the mad scientist could manage as his eyes widened behind his glasses. But his fear was unnoticed by the enraged and ego stricken crystalline monstrosity that stood before the fearful Eggman.

"Shut up, ssslave." hissed he and he would have smiled if he still had a mouth.

"Of course, most powerful one." Eggman said reluctantly and immediately threw himself to the ground in a bow.

"That's much better." and with a laugh, the dark mist began to envelope the cowering man.

"What! Nooooo!" Eggman cried out as he was being suffocated by the inky blackness of the mist. The last thing he heard before he lost consciousness, was the cruel laughter of the monster he now regretted freeing.

* * *

Walking home from the beach, completely unaware that someone was following him, Shadow stared down at his scarlet red wrist watch. The ebony black numbers read 10:30. It was late. He needed to get some rest. Just as he entered the thick woodsy area, about to head up the path that led to his home, he heard it.

 _Crunch_. _Crunch_. _Crunch_.

Leaves underfoot. This would not have been disturbing in anyway if it had not been for the fact that being well trained as a GUN agent and being the Ultimate Lifeform, he made no noise of any kind. He decided to play dumb and continued his walk.

 _Crunch_. _Crunch_. _Crunch_.

It was as if his stalker was purposefully crunching every dry leaf in an attempt of making himself noticed. Shadow continued walking.

 _Crunch_. _Crunch_. _Snap_.

Now his pursuer was smashing twigs.

The This is obnoxious. Shadow thought with annoyance. Can't he tell I am ignoring him. For now.

 _Snap_. _Snap_. _Snap_.

The sound of the snapping twigs were getting louder as the person behind Shadow seemed to become more and more desperate in making himself known to the ebony hedgehog. Just as the hedgehog was about to start running, planning to make it seem like a casual and careless jog:

 _Whoooosh_!

He barely had time to turn around before a huge log came soaring at him. Knocking him unconscious.


	5. A Deadly Revelation

**IMPORTANT:** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE:** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

 **IN** **PROGRESS...**

 **Sonic the Hedgehog**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter Five: A Deadly Revelation**

Silver struggled to break the hold his enemy now held on him.

 _I cannot let him win._ He thought as he desperately fought for control. _He wants to use me against my friends. He will destroy them. M-_

 _Are you done with your incessant yammering? Stay silent and stop fighting me, you fool!_ Hissed the darkness that now held the psychokinetic hedgehog captive and was trying to take over his mind.

 _Have you been listening to me this whole time?_ Silver asked with concern. If he had, then he would know what the hedgehog was going to try to do.

 _Yessss. Of courssse, I have. Little naive hedgehog. I know your plansss. They will never work._

 _And how do you know they wouldn't?_

 _Because, unlike you, I know everything there isss about you. Even the thingsss you have no idea about. Now enough, be ssssilent and I will ssspare you. Ressst!_

 _Noooooo!_

And there was silence.

* * *

He had managed to escape from the unknown enemy who had attempted to kill him. Going through the door to his house would instantly reveal to his enemy of where he lived. So he decided to jump through a window in his backyard. He used one of his Chaos Spears to shatter the glass and jumped clear through, landing in the kitchen sink.

"Damn it!" he cursed as he leapt off the counter and landed on his feet, the sudden movement had caused his head to ache. He was still hurt from the impact of the log that had slammed against his head.

He quickly took one of the wooden boards that he found under the kitchen sink cabinet and hammered it against the window, covering up the gaping hole. He continued to do this until the whole window was covered with wooden boards. The little moonlight that had once shone through the window was now obscured by the wooden reinforcements.

"Who are you hiding from?" the whispery voice seemed to float from every direction of Shadow's house.

Shadow, having grabbed a donut from a box that sat on his marble counter, jumped with a start, the donut fell from his hand and rolled away, far into the inky blackness of his dining room.

"Shoot! How did you get in here?!" he said rather gruffly, falling to hands and knees, in a vain search of his snack.

"Is the proud and powerful Shadow the Hedgehog bowing to meee." The whispery voice had taken on a familiar hiss that only took Shadow a few seconds to realize he was in grave trouble.

"What do you want!" he yelled out to the darkness, then his quills stood on edge as he noticed a dark shadowy figure appear right in front of him.

 _"Revengeee"_ was the hissing reply and before Shadow could even move, he was thrown into the air, crashing into the darkness of his living room.

* * *

"Quit it already! I have no power, I am of no use to you!" shouted the perplexed azure hedgehog as he clamped his hands over his ears, as the hissing voice repeated, once quiet but growing steadily loud.

 _Oh, but you do. That isss why I could not kill you to begin with. That isss why I could not take your life. You sssee I once emulated the power of our rival, Shadow the Hedgehog. The Ultimate Lifeform. But you sssurvived. You ssssurvived. Because of thessssse."_

Instantly an image flashed in Sonic's mind, the seven Chaos Emeralds whirling around him. The energy flowing through him, reviving him. Resurrecting him. More images all shooting through with such intense force.

A crying girl.

Violet light speared through his body. Piercing his heart.

A crystalline being watching with merciless intent as he, the once invincible and never defeated super Sonic, fell to his knees.

He died.

The girl screaming.

Tears. Flames. The crystalline monster uniting with the flaming beast.

Sonic dying.

Dying. Dying. Dying.

"Stop it!" cried Sonic as the images flashes faster and faster, blinding light, crying, flashes, death, resurrection.

"STOP IT!" And he felt it. The mist. The voices. The images. Fading. Fading away.

* * *

"Sonic!" Shadow called out as he stared at the unconscious hedgehog on the ground. "Sonic!" he shook him rather aggressively, trying to wake him up.

"What?!" exclaimed Sonic as he jumped up to his feet. Then everything came back to him and he nearly collapsed back to the floor.

"Woaaaah!" Shadow said in his gruff voice as he caught hold of the falling hedgehog and helped him regain his balance.

"Thanks Shadow." the azure hedgehog shook his head, his quills flowing back into place.

"What is it?" Shadow said, concerned that Sonic had not called him "Shads" or teased him.

"Where is Silver?" Sonic looked about the cave. The stalactites and stalagmites dripping with threads of sticky blue-green substance hanging like a fishing hook line, ready to catch any unsuspecting insect. Sonic stared at this display with bitter irony. How ironic that they too had walked into the sticky thready trap of the enemy that was always aware of what they were doing. Watching their every move. Always after...wait.

"Shadow!" Sonic suddenly whirled around, facing the ebony hedgehog. "You know this enemy!"

"How dare-"

"Let me explain!" Sonic exclaimed, feeling flustered. The scarlet striped, ebony hedgehog fell silent. "Thank you." the azure hedgehog subconsciously ran his hands through his quills, feeling the anxiety rising. "This enemy knows you or, at least, he is after you."

"Let's go get him, he has Silver." Shadow said with a snarl. And he charged a chaos spear and split the wall open. Revealing the hidden headquarters of none other than Dr. Eggman.

* * *

Silver shivered in the cold air of Eggman's base. "Why am I here." he wondered aloud.

"Because I am leading your friends into a trap and you are the bait!" laughed a cruel, dark voice.

"Who are you?" Silver's voice quaked from fear and cold.

"Who _am_ I?" Asked the voice in offense. "Don't you remember meee?"

"N-n-no." Silver stammared as he wringed his hands together, nervously. Eyes darting back and forth for a way of escape.

"Liesss." He snarled as he, unseen by Silver, landed a few feet behind him. "I know all. I know you. And I know you know me!"

Silver took in the labatory of the mad scientist, Dr. Eggman, as he walked around, trying, in vain, to find the source of that horrible, dark, frightening voice. Hoping he was wrong about who he believed it belonged to.

"What are you looking for?"

"Nothing." Lied the hedgehog as he ran his hand over the desk of the mad doctor. "Just looking around."

"Is that so?" And the voice became silent.

 _Darn. I_ _gotta_ _keep_ _him_ _talking._ He thought as he continued his search. "Tell me a little about yourself."

It was not the topic the statement called for, but the words that encouraged the response.

"You dare tell _me_ what to _do_!" And Silver looked uo in time to see a swirling mass of deep violet darkness, stretching itself around a column of the lab. The darkness wrapped itself around the column, forming a tighter and tighter grasp around it, until the column creeked and cracks began to form.

"Wait!" shouted the silver anthropomorph as he rushed forward, with his hands up in surrender. "I am sorry, please don't..."

The dark laughter once again returned, reverberating through the tiny lab. The violet mist clung to the pillar, as if trying to make a point. "You foolsss, all of you think you are ssso great. But you are all mortalsss. All susceptible to death!"

"Yes." admitted Silver, raising his head and lowering his arms. "That is true, but I am not susceptible to pride!" And he threw himself at the swirling mist, reaching out to grab it in his arms. But once he made contact with it, things took an unexoected turn, at least for him.

"Ahhhhh!" he cried out ad the cold, icy, darkness stung and shocked him, the darkness slashed at him, knocking him down to the ground, where he stayed, unconcious.

* * *

Silver woke up, not knowing how long it had been. He wrapped his hand around the back of his neck, sore from the fall. He looked around and realized the darkness was gone. He grabbed a nearby counter and hauled himself up, with a groan. He dusted off his knees and shoulders. And began to walk through the labatory, through Eggman's, not so secret, secret base.

He wandered through hallways and into rooms, until he knew he would never find his way back. At least maybe now his enemy, whoever he was, would be unable to find him. Silver heard a low humming sound, like the beating of little hummingbird wings. He followed the sound, until it got louder, like the sound of a vaccuum cleaner. Then louder, like the sound of a washing machine. Until it was so defeaningly loud, he had to cover his ears with his hands.

Where he was now was a small, low lit room. The light flickered, as if from a candle. The defeaning sound was coming from a tiny capsule, located im the center of the room. As he walked closer to it, the sound became quieter. Which was strange because, normally when someone goes closer to something that makes a loud noise, the sounds get louder, not quieter.

He too thought this was strange and it made him all the more curious, especially as he got closer, a few feet from the capsule. He could now see that what he thought was the color of the capsule, was really the contents being held inside. It was brilliant red, fiery and pulsating with a raging glow. He reached one finger for it, but never touched it, because someone was behind him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." warned the familiar voice of Dr. Eggman. Silver spun around to face the mad man. Just as the doctor opened his mouth to speak, he was suddenly gasping for air as Silver punched him in his rather large stomach.

The doctor heaved and huffed for the air that was stolen by that punch. Dropping to his knees, still coughing and sputtering. Silver, knowing that it was bad form to fight an enemy that was down, waited for him to recover.

The doctor possibly preceiving this, stayed kneeling on the ground and shielded his face and stomach with his arms. Suddenly someone tapped Silver, gently on the shoulder. The hedgehog spun around ready to fight, but realizing it was only one of Eggman's henchbogs, Cubot, stopped and crossed his arms.

"What do you want?" he asked as he narrowed his eye at the bumbling henchbot, who was, unknowingly, shielding the other henchbot, Orbot, from an assault by the peeved anthropomorph.

"Just wanted to let you know that the Doctor, does not want to hurt you." squeaked the henchbot, as he shielded himself with his hands. "He just wants to talk, is all."

"Okayyy.." the silver hedgehog now turned to face the cowering man. "What do you want, Doctor."

"Well, Silver." said the doctor, as he rose from the ground and became his usual overly dramatic, proud self. "I merely wanted to help you defeat that creature you have been having trouble with." And the doctor took a moment to twirl his rather large and goofy mustache.

* * *

The two hedgehogs, Sonic and Shadow, searched throughout the base for their friend. Knuckles also did some searching, but from higher ground, as his knuckles gave him the ability to climb up walls, and glide through the ground, to reach higher ground.

"See anything yet?" Shadow asked Sonic, who shook his head in response.

"I guess we will have to keep looking." grunted Knuckles from above his companions' heads.

And for awhile no one said anything.

"Let's split up." suggested the azure hedgehog as he recovered from the shock of seeing his past replay itself.

"Good idea." the other two said in unison as they all chose different areas to explore.

* * *

Sonic the Hedgehog walked through the narrow hallways of his nemesis' base, absentmindedly tracing his fingers over the rough grooves of the darkly polished, rocky walls. He whistled and thought about the date he planned with Amy. It really wasn't a date, but it was more a friendly gathering, just betwern the two.

He shook his head at the thought of Amy's anger that was sure to come when he got back to her and had to explain the reason for having to cancel the date, without even notifying her ahead of time. He shuddered to think at the idea that she would most likely try to smash him with her piko piko hammer.

 _Oh well. At least this day cannot get any worse._

 _Oh but it will..._ promised the dark creature as he watched the witless hedgehog amble along the narrow hallways. _I will see to it that it doesss._ And he whisped away in a dark jet of darkness, ready to confront the other foolish creatures that dared to challenge him.

* * *

Knuckles the Echidan, ran his hand through his red set of quills, clinging to a wall, high off the ground, with one of his knuckles. He turned from side to side, trying to find Silver. He was about to launch himself into the air, to glide to one of the higher pillars, when he almost fell as a rush of darkness swept past him.

"Darn it!" he called out losing his grip and plummeting to meet the ground below, or more like water, which would surely ne his end, as he was not that strong a swimmer and the shock of the icy water would knock him unconcious. Inches from his doom, a powerful grip lifted him to the platform he was trying to reach before he had lost his grip.

"Thank goodness."

"I would consider myself more as evil, not good." laughed a dark voice as a column of darkness rushed to block the redhead's path.

"Hey!" he let out a startled reply.

"Hey to you too." the evil enemy laughed as the column began to spread into a wall of darkness, soon preventing the echidna from escaping.

"What the heck?"

"What indeed." drawled the dark voice as a spear of darkness drove itself into the echidna. "What indeed..." And Knuckles collapsed to the ground, unconcious.

* * *

Shadow the Hedgehog walked tensely through the cold base, knowing what trouble lurked. He had lied to the others about not knowing who was behind all this. Well, did he lie if he kept out information?

"Yes." A voice cut through the air. "That is called lying by omission." And laughter echoied through the room.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed the Ultimate Lifeform, sarcastically. "Veryyy funnyyy."

"Indeed." the evil being said with a laugh. "I am quite the joker."

"Where is Silver!" Shadow snarled, preparing for a fight.

"Oh, the little hedgehog." the dark creature said nonchalantly. "I am afraid you have come here for nothing."

"What..."

"He is dead!"

* * *

Silver the Hedgjeog shook his head in confusion as the mad scientist smiled at him.

"I don't believe you, you evil -"

"Now. Now. Now." interrupted the doctor as he circled around the hedgehog, like a lion ready for a feast. "That is no way to talk to the most genius scientist and doctor that has ever lived. Especially since I have a way to stop this fiend that you have failed to stop yourselves." He grinne rsther mischievously as he tapped his fingers together, as many villians do.

"What?" Silver quizzed. "You mean you can stop whoever is behind this?"

"Yes!" growled the mad man, impatiently. "Of course I can!" And he walked over to the capsule in the center of the room.

"After all what do you expect from a man with an IQ of over 800?" he chortled. "I can do _anything_!" And he traced his finger over the capsule.

"How exactly can you do this?" said Silver as he tapped his foot impatiently. Sure this crazy creepy doctor was a narcissistic mad man, but did he have to take so long to explain everything?!

"Ugh." he rolled his eyes, as he twirled his mustached and tapped on the capsule with annoyance.

"Well?!" Silver exclaimed, growing anxious.

"Ughuh!" coughed the evil doctor, as he knocked on the capsule. "Okay fine, if you are so witless. This capsule contains the energy that could balance out the essence of your newest friend."

"He is no friend of mine." mumbled and protested Silver.

"Sarcasm, you fool!" the mad scientist said, looking disgruntled.

"Ohhhh, I seee." A voice spoke from thin air. "This energyyy can makeee meeee likeee youuu?"

"Exsctly!" said Eggman, too engrossed in his grandeur, to notice that Silver was shaking and shivering with fear and coughing to get the mad scientist's attention. "This can put that ingrate down once and for all!"

"Howww soooo?" hissed the voice as Silver made a run for the door, but his way was barred by a gathering thick smoky darkness, and the memory of the pain, comining into contact, that was associated it.

"Oh." laughed the crazed genius as he pushed his henchbots aside, who were trying to warn their creatore of the danger that he was facing. "By overcharging the emerald energy that he has consumed and causing him to collapse on himself. In all reality it will be his own power hunger and ornery self that would be his doom!"

"Eggmannn." the voice snarled. "I thought we had a deal."

"Wait, but you said you would stop this thing. Nothing about helping it to begin with!" exclaimed Silver as he aggressively stepped towards the befuddled man, who had come to his senses, finally releasing he had told the fiend everything their was to know about his secret weapon.

"You betrayed me!" squalled he, backing away from the angry swirling darkness that recoiled like snake, preparing to strike. "He betrayed me! I no longer choose to quale in fearful slavery to him! Eggman proclaimed and rushed straight for the capsule.

The darkness darted after him. Grappling around his ankles, kncoking him down to the ground.

"Secret Weapon 8600M, self destruct!"

SECRET WEAPON 8600M LAUNCHING SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE. The secret weapon, the capsule containing the pulsating energy, begin to lower into the ground. There was a small explosion.

As the pathetic, mad scientist was being dragged away by the swirling darkness, he begged his rival, Silver for help. "Do whatever you can to stop this enem. And remember to save me!"

And the mad doctor was dragged screaming and crying into one of the dark hallways.

* * *

"I am back!" laughed the being as it swirled back into the room, where Silver was still taking in all that had occured. To Silver's surprise a dark, violet, swirling shadow spiraled down, taking the form of a certain someone.

"Oh m-"

"Silver!" cried three voices belonging to a redheaded echidna, azure hedgehog, and ebony hedgehog as they rushed forward. Suddenly they halted in their tracks.

"You!" The four friends and rivals shouted out.

"Yes me." and his laughter echoed all around the base as he opened the palm of his hand, the light blue emerald floating into the air, far out of reach.

"Well. Well. Well." sneered their enemy as he ambled to them. "I was waiting for this moment. Savoring every second. I want this too last forever." and he lunged at Shadow, catching him by surprise.

"Oof!" the ebony hedgehog called out.

"Understand thisss." hissed his arch nemesis as he pinned down Shadow. "I never expected to hate you so much. But you got in my way. My way of my destiny. You destroyed my brother, Iblisss. You deserve what issss coming. And it issss coming. All thanksss to you."

"I do not understand." Silver stammered as he stepped forward to towards their angry enemy. "Who are you exactly?"

"Call me the Doom of the Worldssss. The Destruction of the Dimensionssss. The Fear of all Fearssss. The Incarnation of Evil itself. Call me the One Who Almost Killed Sonic. Call me the One Who Will Kill Sonic. Call me the End of Everything. Call me Mephilessss. Mephiles the Dark!"

"Seriously." Knuckles growled. "Let's show this foul creature to bed!" And he threw himself at Mephiles, knocking him off of Shadow.

"Watch it!" growled Mephiles as he knocked the redhead aside. "Or you will be sssorry! Now where wassss I? Oh, yes. YOU!" and he tackled Shadow to the ground, a snow white emerald rolling underneath some rusted machinery that Eggman had been hoarding.

* * *

"Get off him!" called out Sonic as he tugged and pulled at the angry Mephiles.

"That. Isss. ENOUGH!" and they all flew into the air and crashed into more of the rusted machines of Eggman's old creations.

"H-h-how?" Silver quizzed as he fixed his spines back into place.

"I took your power!" Mephiles laughed triumphantly. Then he turned to Sonic who barely got back up to his feet and dusted off his spines. "And I will soon have yourssss." and he dissipated into that dark violet shadow as he dove for Sonic.

"Stop!" Shadow shouted, pushing Sonic aside, who was not at all happy being back on the ground.

"Ughhhhhhhh!" Shadow screamed as the shadows passed through him.

"That isss it!" Mephiles said as he landed back down, reforming into his hedgehog form. "It is your doom!" and he transformed into his crystalline form. The air thickened with inky shadow, more like smoke. Drifting and wafting throughout the base, his blood red eyes glowed fiercely, with anger.

"Your world isss going to ssssuffer." he said with a mouthless smile. "All becausssse of you!"

"I will dessstroy everything you love and cherish." Silver said with the cold calculating voice of Mephiles.

"Even now your friends and rivals fall to me." Shadow spoke, no gruffness in his voice as Mephiles spoke through him.

The mist thickened and swarmed around Knuckles, who was too in shock to call out.

"Now I have them all." the redhead continued for Mephiles.

"Give it up!" laughed Eggman, his voice and tone like that of Mephiles.

"I go throughout the world, as my power captivates the minds of your closest friends and your greatest enemies."

A whirring sound and the robots', all rusted and brand new, some taken apart, others yet to be fused with body parts of their own, eyes glowed with an eerie electric green color like that of the crystalline form of Mephiles.

"It issssss your doom, my revengeeee!" and with cruel, cold laughter he spiraled into the air and rushed out of the room.

"Your world endssss. Once and for all." and the four mouthpieces of Mephiles fell to the ground. In an enchanted sleep, most likely with no peace.

"This just got a whole lot harder." Sonic grumbled. "Aww, well. Haaaa!" and he sped attacked a robot's metallic, silver and gold arm that sported Eggman's generic emblem.


	6. Risen from the Ashes

**IMPORTANT:** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE:** No obscenity or harsh language involved. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **IN PROGRESS...**

 **Sonic the Hedgehog**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter** **Six: Risen from the Ashes**

In the beginning. A tiny flicker of pure, white flame that barely glowed and shivered in the wind. Earth, the planets, the galaxy and beyond being formed and fashioned by the hands of a being beyond all time.

The flame spreading and growing, destroying many dimensions that had, unknown to the inhabitants of Earth, been created shortly after the universe. As the flame devoured, it grew. As it grew, it changed. It began to transform into an intra-dimensional creature.

The creature was made of a snow white, crystalline structure that molded into arms and its body. There were three shells made purely of a cyan colored light. Two of these shells covered each of the creature's forearms. The third covered its chest and the core, the very life force of this extra dimensional being.

There was a figure on top, resembling an eagle's head, complete with glowing golden eyes and antlers that branched off into structures made purely of crystals. Finally, there formed a ring, that contained six triangle shaped pieces floating near the edges, resembling a sun on the back of the being, giving this creature the name...Solaris.

When war was waged, the fire of Solaris increased in strength and many desired to possess it; believing if they did, they would have the power of victory over their enemies. The Solaris flames enchanted the minds of humans and anthropomorphs, to the point that the extra dimensional creature gained consciousness of it.

It took on the guise of a god-like entity, deserving of worship. And that is what led the Kingdom of Soleanna to idolize this being and eventually believing it was Solaris that controlled the sun, its light and warmth.

To appease their idol, Soleanna held a festival for Solaris, known as "The Festival of the Sun." Although the Kingdom of Soleanna saw Solaris as the "Sun god," this was not the case. Solaris fed off of the fire that was presented to it, during the Festival, growing stronger still.

* * *

Eventually, the time came that Soleanna's ruler, called the Duke of Soleanna, would attempt to harness the energy of Solaris. The Duke wanted Solaris' powers so that he could travel back in time to see his deceased wife, who had passed away when his daughter was just a few years old.

The Duke named this attempt, to capture Solaris' force, "The Solaris Project". However, the creature absorbed the power source, meant to contain it, growing stronger still. Eventually, Solaris had enough power to escape from his imprisonment and in turn would rain hell down upon the kingdom.

With an explosion, and a final absorption of the concentrated, dark, violet light, meant to control it, Solaris became two. Its halves split apart, into a dark, violet, misty, shadow, that expelled from the capsule and a broiling shell that broke apart, revealing twisting red hot flames.

Just in time to witness the fiasco, a young, silver hedgehog and another hedgehog emerged from within a warp in the air. The silver hedgehog was none other than psychokinetic, empowered Silver.

As his companion rushed after the violet shadows that had flowed out of the capsule, making an escape for the laboratory exit, Silver raced over to the fallen man and his daughter, who was currently unconscious.

"Hey! What are you doing? You've got to leave!" shouted the telekinetic hedgehog as he cleared away the rest of the debris, using his powers..

The Duke shook his head gravely, tried to stand up, but fell back to his knees. "I have my duty." He crawled over to his unconscious daughter, brushed the hair from her face, and closed his eyes.

"This Living Flame has been entrusted to the royal family. The Flames of Disaster will awaken if nothing is done! That must not happen. Eternal Sun! The Living Flame that has been entrusted to the royal family! Fall into slumber with a royal soul!"

Suddenly the swirling flames shot up into the air and flew inside his daughter, Elise.

Iblis, one of the newly formed entities, was contained within the princess. The Duke's last dying wish would be that she would seal Iblis away forever. Ensuring the world's safety, her own as well, and that no one or nothing makes her cry. For if that were to happen, Iblis would be set free, to recreate Solaris, and then devour the very life force of the universe.

Weakly looking into the sad eyes of Silver, the Duke cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but... Can you take her to a safe place?" Then he placed Elise into the telekinetic hedgehog's arms.

"Hey!" Silver protested, but seeing that the Duke was nearing death's door, nodded solemnly and sped away, with the princess held protectively in his arms.

* * *

Seeping under the doorways, down the charred and broken stairways, through the ruined laboratories, the inky, violet shadows were almost out of the kingdom. But then there was the hedgehog, ebony with scarlet red stripes on his quills.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow called, the forest green emerald in his hand began to vibrate and glow, vibrantly with light. The violet shadowy creature, once quickly escaping, became sluggish and slow, along with time itself.

"...What?...Stop!" A detached voice protested from within the shadowy mass of darkness. But Shadow was not listening, he clasped the emerald in both hands and the scepter became encapsulated by the forest green emerald light. The scepter slowly floated into the air, the light becoming brighter and brighter.

"I am...the sun. I transcend... time itself. A bridge to... other worlds!" thundered the voice as the violet shadows thrashed around, trying to escape from the Chaos hold of Shadow the Hedgehog. "Who...Who are you?" The detached voice questioned as the shadow smoldered into a darker violet color, as it gathered closer and closer to itself.

As the scepter exploded into the air like a firework, glistening with a starlike gleam, Shadow declared: "I'm Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog." His ruby red eyes glinted with the dazzling light of the starlike scepter as the violet shadow, that was his nemesis, began to churn and swirl.

"Shadow...Your face...Your form...I will remember." The dark voice said as the violet shadows continued to vortex into the star like light.

"Your death...Certain...You...will die!" Mephiles vowed as he was sealed within the scepter.

* * *

After the battle between Solaris and the three Super hedgehogs, Shadow, Silver, and Sonic, Mephiles and Iblis met different fates. The two having fused together to form the great and powerful, Solaris, an intra-dimensional monster who devoured the very essence of many dimensions, leaving cold dark husks of the former glory of those worlds, it had seemed that nothing could stop them from leaving the Earth with the same fate as the other worlds before.

The battle waged on for what had seemed forever and the victory was coming. With the power of all chaos emeralds infused into their souls, together the three hedgehogs spun wildly into three, blindingly, bright comets that shot towards the intra-dimensional creature, Solaris. Extending his snow white arms and preparing a final blast of pure, dark, ultraviolet light, the Destroyer of Dimensions was caught by surprise as the three bright golden lights blasted right through his deep red core.

The very essence that had fused the two into one initially, was pulling them apart. With a shriek of rage and a vow of revenge, an ultra violet mistlike shadow exploded apart from the fiery, lava like beast.

Iblis, the lava monster that had long held the future of the hedgehogs', world in post apocalyptic captivity, was falling apart. The three chaos emerald enhanced hedgehogs had done their damage. With another shriek, the great beast imploded into a supernova light show and the small flame flickered away.

With hatred filling his dark, vengeful heart, Mephiles, the second entity that had once made up part of Solaris, tried to escape into the anthropomorphic creatures world. But having created this inner dimensional place, he would now be forever trapped there.

With shouts of victories and congratulations, the three superheroes, saviors of the world and other dimensions unknown, flew, super hedgehog style, home. Believing all had been resolved, but they would learn soon that they were very wrong.

* * *

Overtime, Shadow and his friends had forgotten that dreadful creature. But he never forgot them. After the defeat of Solaris, and the vanquishing of Iblis, Mephiles was entrapped inside the inter-dimension, that had been created by the intra-dimensional entity, Solaris. Because of this, however, when Sonic and the princess went back to the past, to erase Solaris from existence, Mephiles was beyond time.

Therefore, Mephiles had survived, allowing Dr. Eggman to carry out his latest plans. Allowing Dr Eggman to set him free. Allowing Dr. Eggman to give Mephiles the chance to exact his revenge. His revenge on this wretched world of humanity, on that meddlesome Shadow the Hedgehog.

"Shadow…" Hissed Mephiles as he made another attempt to flee from the dimension he was now being contained in. "I will have my revenge…"

"Indeed you will." laughed a voice and the owner of it made his appearance. With a low bow, he hopped off of his egg mobile. Eyeing his two henchbots with sinister eagerness, he approached the seething ultra dimensional being.

"Mephiles the Dark, I believe." Doctor Eggman said, with another bow, as he extended his hand out towards the darkly curious creature.

"In the flesh…" Mephiles hissed as he accepted the handshake. " What is it that you want, Doctor Eggman?"

"What is it that I want?" mused Eggman, giving another sideways glance to his henchbots as they clumsily moved closer towards him.

" _Yesss_." Mephiles snarled with impatience. "What do you want…"

"It is not more about what I want, then what you would want." chortled the mad scientist as he clasped his hands together with evil glee. "Behold!" He shouted as he dramatically raised his hands into the air.

Mephiles stared at the eggmobile that Eggman was indicating, with disinterest. Starting to crystallize into his perfectly dark demonic form, from his steadily growing impatience, he advanced towards the witless fool of a scientist that stood so proudly before him.

"Tell me what you want before I make you _sssuffer_ …"

"W-w-well…" stammered the villainous doctor, as he wrung his hands nervously. "Like I said, it is not what I want, but more about what you want…" Regaining his arrogantly, theatrical demeanor, he strided over to the Eggmobile.

"Behold!" He squawked, as he jumped back onto the Eggmobile. "It is time you witnessed our greatest triumph ever!"

"Now I am interested…" mused Mephiles as he smiled mirthlessly at the doctor who was hovering, in the Eggmobile, a few feet above him.

"I knew you would be!" he clapped his hands and chortled once more, his large belly shaking with each laugh, then he took out, from his buttoned red suit, a glittering chaos emerald. The emerald was a deep violet, that almost blended in with the dark purple and black shadows that emanated from Mephiles.

"With this emerald and the recent upgrades to my Eggmobile, all designed and created by a genius scientist (I do not know if you have had the chance to meet him yet), you can now be free."

Free. Free. Free.

" _Free_ …" Mephiles hissed thoughtfully as he paced about his prison, the dimension Solaris had formed during its attempt to feed off of Earth's energy. "I can finally...exact my _revengeee_ …" His cold, dark, mirthless laughter echoed off the walls of the dimension as both of Eggman's henchbots quaked with fear.

* * *

Using his latest creation, the Eggstractor, Eggman pulled Mephiles out of the void of the inter-dimension that had been created by Solaris. Eggman using chaos emerald charged light, artificial light, and Mephiles' very life force, unleashed the vengeful entity. The demon hedgehog, still incarnated in the shade of Shadow, then plotted his enemy's downfall.

Having been given a chaos emerald of his own, Mephiles traveled via chaos control to the beach where the ultimate life form was was relaxing at. He was the one that followed Shadow, through the forests when night fell, home. He was the one who made himself known to Shadow, by knocking him out with a tree limb.

He was the one who had broken into Shadow's home. Mephiles threw Shadow back and forth, throughout the life form's living room, unmercifully. However hard he threw him, Mephiles did not intend to kill his for, yet. He needed something from him. He needed his...

" _Power_..." Mephiles hissed as he stalked towards the stunned Shadow, who was currently knocked out from all the beating he took. "I need...your...your power!" And Mephiles raised his hands into the air, his blood red eyes glittering malevolently. Shadow's body seized as he was being electrocuted by chaos charged light, from the aqua colored emerald gripped in the ice cold hands of Mephiles.

Then with a cruel, mirthless laugh he advanced towards the black and scarlet hedgehog, dissolving into a dark, violet, shadowy, mist, he seeped into the violently shaking hedgehog. He tore through his power core, rendering Shadow unable to control his own actions.

* * *

He had lost his counterpart. He had lost his powers. He had lost his ability to devour the lifeforce of dimensions and worlds. But one thing he had was the demonic powers to carry out his revenge. After taking Shadow's powers, Mephiles went for the rest of the chaos emeralds.

Having two chaos emeralds, originally, Mephiles only needed five more. Mephiles fought at Sonic's side, as Shadow, to acquire the snow white crystalline emerald, but the blue, meddlesome, foolish mortal had stolen it from him. Now Mephiles did not have any idea where the other emeralds were, except one. The Master Emerald.

Mephiles visited Knuckles, the red headed echidna, in his palace of solitude. Having the received the welcome, he had expected, Shadow's chaos enhanced powers came in handy. Slowing down time would slow down Knuckles, allowing the demonic entity the chance to take possession of the desirable, ultimate, powers of the Master Emerald.

Not caring if that put the whole of Angel Island at risk, Mephiles drained the Emerald of all its precious lifeforce. And knowing it was now useless, save for the chaos emeralds, Mephiles left Knuckles to pick up the pieces.

Once Mephiles left Knuckles and Angel Island behind, he forcibly brought Shadow to Eggman's secret lair. One thing he had forgotten. One creature he had written off as dead, was Sonic. He should have known better. After all hadn't he tried to kill that fool a while back? Wherever there were emeralds, there was Sonic's salvation. Having dissipated from Shadow, Mephiles left the two hedgehogs to battle it out.

* * *

Using his powers of controlling time, thanks to his ultra dimensional abilities and the powers he had borrowed from Shadow, the seething, ultra violet, entity went to the past, where Sonic and Knuckles had dropped off Silver in the desert. Having his window of opportunity, the violet supernatural claimed the two emeralds, for his own. Now he had five emeralds, the fifth being Shadow's beloved forest green emerald, which Mephiles had taken when he left Shadow to fight Sonic, in the cave that led to Eggman's secret lair.

Returning to Eggman, Mephiles expected the Doctor to turn on him once he proved to be beyond the mad scientist's control. Having perceived this, Mephiles plotted to betray that little, fat oaf. Taking over Eggman, Mephiles had nearly all of Sonic's enemies under control. Soon his friends would turn against him as well.

In fact, the time came when Silver chaos controlled into the cavern, and foolishly waved the sunlight emerald in the face of the demon. He was easy to take over, but Sonic. It almost drained the entity of all his energy.

The only other option for defeating this blue hedgehog, was to kill him, using every means necessary. Putting his friends into a fitful sleep, Mephiles then possessed all the machinery, declaring war against the hapless Sonic.

Mephiles had exceeded all expectations. Those heroes thought he was out of commision. Trapped in the parallel dimension, Solaris had made. But no. It could not be forever. Mephiles had risen above the odds. Like a dark, deadly, fearful Phoenix, Mephiles had risen from the ashes...


	7. The Silent Place

**IMPORTANT: ** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE: ** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **ATTENTION :**

 **Hello, hope all is well!**

 **I will now be providing you all with my next chapter for, "Hidden Darkness," the first of the "Light in the Darkness" trilogy.**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **Enjoy! :3**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter 7 : The Silent Place**

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Bzzzzzz!

The loud droning and electric sound, from his welding machine, drowned out the knocking on the door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Bzzzzz!

Face scrunched with concentration, he did not hear the banging on his door, as he was of one mind with his task at hand.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The knocking soon became a slamming, as if someone was trying to break down the door with a hammer.

Bzzzzzz-

"Who's there!" shouted Tails as he pulled off his welder's helmet and started to rise from the ground. He took a minute to admire his work.

His Tornado looked more pristine and was made of a stronger metal to maintain its integrity in case a swishing tail, which the little fox had gotten the idea from Sonic's latest battle with the ice beast, came crashing down upon the plane, in an attempt to make it fall from the sky.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

A muffled screaming sound, from the other side, made the fox rush over to the door.

"One minute please!" He called out as he reached for the knob, opened the door and -

Was knocked out, as the object, that was practically breaking down the door earlier, came slamming into his face.

He reeled back and hit the floor, immediately unconscious. A great shadow was cast over the now unconscious Tails, as the person or creature, belonging to the shadow, lowered a large object. The object that had knocked Tails out.

* * *

 _Where am I?_ Shadow the Hedgehog thought as he looked around.

The place he now found himself in was a bare, white, and lightless spacious place. There were no walls, no gates, nothing that indicated there was a separation. There were no limits either, the place seemed endless. The only thing that indicated any normalcy was a door.

The door was a dark black, with delicate interwoven patterns of violet framing each side. As Shadow, curiosity getting the better of him, approached the door, he soon realized that the patterns, which he thought were part of the door's design, were not. In fact, the patterns seemed strangely familiar.

They were thick, deep violet and shadowy, like the very essence of darkness itself. Shadow tried to wave the deep dark shadows away, but they clung, insistently, on to the door. Shadow shaking his head, in annoyance, pushed his hand through the thickness of the shadows.

His hand passed through the darkness, as easily as it would through fog, but this was no fog. As soon as his hand passed through the smoky darkness, the shadows twisted and writhed, forming tight around his hand.

 _What the -_ Shadow started with confused panic as he struggle to break free. But the darkness was not going to relent, as it started inching up to his wrists. Then from his wrists, to his lower arm. Then his lower arm, to his elbow. And once from his elbow, it began to curl up faster and faster.

 _Stop!_ Shadow called out, at least he tried. But he soon realized, he could not speak. It had nothing to do with the darkness. And it had nothing to do with him. He soon came to the horrible realization that this place, whatever it was had been way too silent. So silent, that he could not even speak, himself.

 _Nooo!_ He tried to scream as the darkness soon began to suffocate him.

* * *

 _Ooooo! Ughhhh! My head._ Silver groaned, at least he tried to, but no sound came out. Maybe, the sound even dissipated once it issues from his mouth.

 _I cannot talk. Or maybe, I cannot hear myself. Could it be...wait who, who could it be. It was right in my head…_ Silver fought to remember. To remember, something. But what?

 _Where am I anyway?_ He thought, giving up the effort to try to remember what he couldn't and the effort to try to say something, aloud.

He looked around. Spacious, white, lightless. Yet, he could still see around him.

 _Strange…_ he tried to mutter, but remembered he couldn't or at least, no sound could be heard.

He walked a little further, hoping to see something other than the blank darkness. But nothing changed, except for the door.

He walked to it, but then stopped. Thought against it and moved on. The door he had passed by, was a black door. Overlapping patterns of violet, were decorating the sides.

He found yet another door. This door was a deep, dark red. As he stepped closer, he realized the door was moving. Closer still and he saw the door was covered in oozing, bubbling, molten lava.

 _I must go through there._ Silver thought as he stepped, gingerly, toward the door, and reached for the door knob, which was a brilliant blood red, glittering with embers.

 _Ouuuuch!_ Silver tried to call out, as he came in contact with the door knob. He looked down at his hand, it was red from the hot heat that seared his gloved hand.

 _Okay…So I cannot open this door...Maybe...Maybe what…_ The poor hedgehog was stumped, how could he find a way through the door?

I just want to see what's behind it. I need to see what's behind it. Suddenly a creak. And the door was opened, but how?

It did not matter to Silver as he walked cautiously through the door. Once inside, the door closed behind him, a lock clicking from the outside. There was no going back.

* * *

Shivering in the lightless and empty space, Dr. Eggman, had to remind himself what was going on. He was the only one who remembered what had happened. The events that got them here, in the first place.

 _I need to remember. That no matter what, I cannot give in. Ugh, when I get my hands on that little..._ thought the mad genius, for he knew this place would keep him from speaking out loud, from making any noise at all. Just to confirm this, the mad scientist jumped up and down. Just as he thought, silence. The sounds of his stomping, were absorbed or dissipated by whatever this place was.

The mad doctor continued his journey, through the vastness. He came to a door. A door that was black, with twisting and unfurling dark shadows clinging to the sides of the door.

 _No. I will not open it._ He fought his curiosity and continued walking, the door vanished into thin air.

A little while later, he came to another door. This door was a brilliant, dark red. Molten lava oozed and bubbled on the surface of the door. The knob was a blood red, glowing with embers. Flames, unseen to anyone but himself, burst from the knob. They were tiny, and not so hot, as only little whips of smoke rose from it, and a tiny glow emanated.

 _No! Not this door, not any door. I will not...must not...give in._ And he walked away, leaving the door sealed shut. That door also dissolved into nothingness.

He soon came to a third door. This door was an emerald green, with many dimensions of green, unlike any other green, he had seen. Except on one particular, emerald. The door blew open, he could see a green, grassy, and beautiful oasis, tempting him to enter.

 _No! Never! I will not fall for this!_ And the door slammed shut with, a loud echo. The door dissolved, into the background, gone.

But in place of the door, was something else. Someone else. Someone that made the doctor's blood boil and made him break into a nervous sweat.

 _Should have picked those doors, Doctor._ the someone that stood in front of him, laughed silently. _Could have avoided this, but oh well. Let's have some fun!_

* * *

Knuckles woke up from his deep sleep, feeling like someone had beat him on the head.

 _Just like if Amy hit me with her hammer. Damn...I cannot hear what I am saying. Or maybe, I cannot say anything. Am I mute?_

Being a hotheaded, know-it-all, talker, this made the redhead start to panic. He grabbed at his throat, as if he was being strangled. He then cupped his hands together, over his mouth, and tried to call out. Nothing. His shout could not be heard.

 _Ugh. I hate this. What is this place? And why is everything so quiet? Why can I not speak!_

Knuckles then started to investigate, as was his natural reaction. He glided to the left and then to the right, trying to find an end to this lightless, white, blank, and empty spacious place. But try as he might, Knuckles could not find anything at all, well except for the single black door.

He studied it from far away. The door was completely black, ebony in color, like Shadow, minus the crimson red stripes he had. The door also had some violet, thick, wispy, mist like shadows curling around the sides, concealing the door knob.

 _Hmmmm..._ thought Knuckles as he moved slowly to the door. This looks strangely familiar. At least the smoky, dark shadows do. I wonder…

He reached for the door, trying to find the handle. But before he could pass his hand through the shadows, the door dissolved.

 _What!_ Knuckles tried to exclaim, but couldn't make a sound, of course. _Hmmm...strange._

Knuckles continued to glide through the air, until he saw another door. This door was red. There was melting, bubbling, steaming hot lava oozing on the door. But the door was not melting. Knuckles looked at the knob, it was blood red with glittering embers.

 _Looks like it might be hot._ He guessed and reached for the knob, carefully, but that door soon vanished as well.

 _What the heck._ thought the echidna as he looked around for the door, but it was gone.

 _I guess I should move on. I need to find another door, then I can get out this horrible place._

Knuckles came upon a third door. This door was a brilliant emerald green, with many dimensions more than the usual green.

 _It is the same exact color, the same exact shade, the same exact dimensions, of the Master Emerald. he mused as he stood, staring at the door, in awed and forced silence._

The door suddenly creaked open. Unlike all the other doors, when the echidna approached, it did not shift away into the background of blank white. Knuckles made a run for the door, just in case. Besides, the area inside, was Angel Island.

 _Home, sweet home!_

And the door closed behind him, with a slam. Locks clicked, keeping him from leaving. Not that he would want to. Knuckles smiled and breathed in the familiar air. He stretched and then ran over to where he knew Sky Sanctuary awaited.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" A voice spoke. Actually spoke, there was sound.

Knuckles whirled around, but no one was there. Soon he realized that the voice was his own. He now realized he could hear birds chirping, insects shifting in the grass, and bees buzzing to the flowers.

There was also color. Many different kinds. Blues of the sky, pinks of the flowers, green of the grass, and many other colors for the insects and other flowers that grew on the ground, trees, and the plant that clung to the walls of the hills.

"I will never take this for granted ever again." Knuckles laughed as he raced over to a rocky hill, climbing up it.

He then threw himself into the air, gliding and listening to the wind whistling as he soared through the air. He then jumped down from the tree he had clambered up, and dusted himself off.

"Time to get back to work." He said as he took a handful of flowers and walked off to where the sanctuary was waiting for him.

He continued his stroll, through the beautiful scenic area. Crossing the oasis and beaches of the Island. He finally found himself walking up the stone steps of the sanctuary, ascending little by little. For this place was sacred and running to it would be almost sacrilegious.

When he finally reached the top of the sanctuary, where his throne was, he saw that someone was already seated there. That someone was him.

"I have been waiting for you." the other him gruffly growled. "What took you so long, Knuckles?" and the other Knuckles gave a nasty smile, eyes flashing with malicious intent.

* * *

 _S-S-Sonic!_ exclaimed Eggman as he squinted at his smiling nemesis How did you get here?!

 _What do you mean, Doctor._ laughed the hedgehog as he raised an eyebrow, tauntingly at the mad man.

 _Well. I guess you wouldn't know. At least, you wouldn't remember._ Eggman faltered,feeling very embarrassed at having asked such a ridiculous question.

 _Of course I wouldn't._ smiled the azure hedgehog as he circled around the nervous mad scientist, who begin to twiddle his fingers. _But that only applies if I was him._

 _What do you mean!_ Eggman tried to exclaim, in confusion.

 _Just that. I_ _am_ _not_ _him._ laughed Sonic as he stepped closer to Eggman, who nervously stumbled back, lost his footing and landed on his backside.

 _Leave me alone!_ Eggman tried to cry out.

 _I knew you were afraid of me._

 _I am not._ protested the mad scientist, shaking his head, fervently.

 _Oh, but you are._ laughed Sonic as he continued walking towards the frightened man, who was quaking in his boots, and barely getting back up.

 _I know everything. And I know your fears. I know that you have nightmares of me, almost all the time._

 _No!_ he exclaimed in response, jumping to his feet and pointing savagely at the hedgehog. _I fear no one! No one, you hear!_

 _If that is so, then why am I here?_ mused the hedgehog, calmly examining his fingers.

 _Oh well, stay in denial. Doesn't change anything._ And the hedgehog laughed, one last time, before lunging at his nemesis.

 _Ahhhh!_ Eggman jumped out of the way, as his foe tried to speed attack him

 _Leave me alone, you horrid little hedgehog!_

 _Stop moving! This is what you deserve. For the part you play in this._

Sonic's electric green eyes flashed as if they were made of lightning.

He punched the mad scientist in the stomach, kicking at Eggman, as he silently heaved, doubled over, from lack of breath.

 _That's it._ And the mad genius doctor, standing to his feet, slapped the hedgehog from the air, knocking him to the ground.

 _Yes indeed._

And the hedgehog began to change form. His azure blue became a darker blue, his eyes no longer green, but white. No pupils to be seen. Darkness radiated from his body and he grinned, flashing, gleaming white, fanged teeth.

 _Oh my…_

 _Yes._ said Dark Sonic, as his laughter sent chills down Eggman's spine.


	8. Drown in Darkness

**IMPORTANT: ** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE: ** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **ATTENTION:**

Chapter 8 is up and ready for reading.

Comment and review, stay updated!

Should have Chapter 9 in a few weeks, maybe during the holidays, but no guarantees!

I will for sure have the preview released by then.

Enjoy, have a good one!

\- **MC Productions 737**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter 8: Drown in Darkness**

 _Where am I?_ Shadow the Hedgehog thought as he looked around.

The place he now found himself in was a bare, white, and lightless spacious place. There were no walls, no gates, nothing that indicated there was a separation. There were no limits either, the place seemed endless. The only thing that indicated any normalcy was a door.

The door was a dark black, with delicate interwoven patterns of violet framing each side. As Shadow, curiosity getting the better of him, approached the door, he soon realized that the patterns, which he thought were part of the door's design, were not. In fact, the patterns seemed strangely familiar.

They were thick, deep violet and shadowy, like the very essence of darkness itself. Shadow tried to wave the deep dark shadows away, but they clung, insistently, on to the door. Shadow shaking his head, in annoyance, pushed his hand through the thickness of the shadows.

His hand passed through the darkness, as easily as it would through fog, but this was no fog. As soon as his hand passed through the smoky darkness, the shadows twisted and writhed, forming tight around his hand.

 _What the -_ Shadow started with confused panic as he struggled to break free. But the darkness was not going to relent, as it started inching up to his wrists. Then from his wrists, to his lower arm. Then his lower adm, to his elbow. And once from his elbow, it begin to curl up faster and faster.

 _Stop!_ Shadow called out, at least he tried. But he soon realized, he could not speak. It had nothing to do with the darkness. And it had nothing to do with him. He soon came to the horrible realization that this place, whatever it was had been way too silent. So silent, that he could not even speak, himself.

 _Nooo!_ He tried to scream as the darkness soon began to suffocate him.

* * *

 _Where am I?_ Shadow the Hedgehog thought as he looked around.

The place he now found himself in was a bare, white, and lightless spacious place. There were no walls, no gates, nothing that indicated there was a separation. There were no limits either, the place seemed endless. The only thing that indicated any normalcy was a door.

The door was a dark black, with delicate interwoven patterns of violet framing each side. As Shadow, curiosity getting the better of him, approached the door, he soon realized that the patterns, which he thought were part of the door's design, were not. In fact, the patterns seemed strangely familiar.

They were thick, deep violet and shadowy, like the very essence of darkness itself. Shadow tried to wave the deep dark shadows away, but they clung, insistently, on to the door. Shadow shaking his head, in annoyance, pushed his hand through the thickness of the shadows.

His hand passed through the darkness, as easily as it would through fog, but this was no fog. As soon as his hand passed through the smoky darkness, the shadows twisted and writhed, forming tight around his hand.

 _What the -_ Shadow started with confused panic as he struggled to break free. But the darkness was not going to relent, as it started inching up to his wrists. Then from his wrists, to his lower arm. Then his lower adm, to his elbow. And once from his elbow, it begin to curl up faster and faster.

 _Stop!_ Shadow called out, at least he tried. But he soon realized, he could not speak. It had nothing to do with the darkness. And it had nothing to do with him. He soon came to the horrible realization that this place, whatever it was had been way too silent. So silent, that he could not even speak, himself.

 _Nooo!_ He tried to scream as the darkness soon began to suffocate him.

* * *

 _Where am I? Shadow the Hedgehog thought as he looked around._

The place he now found himself in was a bare, white, and lightless spacious place. There were no walls, no gates, nothing that indicated there was a separation. There were no limits either, the place seemed endless. The only thing that indicated any normalcy was a door.

The door was a dark black, with delicate interwoven patterns of violet framing each side. As Shadow, curiosity getting the better of him, approached the door, he soon realized that the patterns, which he thought were part of the door's design, were not. In fact, the patterns seemed strangely familiar.

They were thick, deep violet and shadowy, like the very essence of darkness itself. Shadow tried to wave the deep dark shadows away, but they clung, insistently, on to the door. Shadow shaking his head, in annoyance, was about to push his hand through the thickness of the shadows.

Was about to, but then he realized something. He had been there before. He had seen that seen that door before. He had tried to wave the darkness away before. He had put his hand through the darkness before. And he had suffocated and nearly died before.

 _What the heck?_ He quizzed as he scratched his head and then shook his head. He tapped his foot impatiently as he tried to figure out a way to get through that door. Without repeating the same sequence of events as he had before.

As he thought this he felt something like fire flowing through his veins. It was not painful not burning like scorching flames, but rather a feeling of power surging through him.

Suddenly with a flash of light, an almost electric charge flew from his outstretched hand. The charge was a golden color and hummed with an unknown power as it tore through the darkness. The darkness with a shriek began to fold in on itself, until it disappeared. Shadow gave a silent grunt of accomplishment and turned the knob.

He eased the door open, staring into darkness. A thick blanket of black, inky darkness. His eyes strained to adjust to it, he had put one foot through the door, when all of a sudden the door slammed shut. The force knocking him into the dark void, causing him to fall to his knees.

* * *

"Who are you!" Knuckles exclaimed, balling his hands into fists, readying himself for a fight. The other him laughed darkly and rose from the throne. Walking calmly towards him, slightly strutting with cocky arrogance. His eyes glowed with malevolence and his smile was a sneer.

"Now Knuckles," he said, his voice as gruff as the other Knuckles who was staring in confused awe. "You should recognize yourself when you see me." Knuckles, the one that was surprised, shook his head in disagreement.

"There is no way in all of Angel Island or beyond, that you are me." He grumbled as he prepared to glide and attack the other echidna.

"Fine then," laughed the other Knuckles, his eyes glowing brighter with cruel intent. "Let us just pretend I am not you, but if we do then who is your worst enemy?"

"No one." Knuckles answered, taking it literally.

"That was a rhetorical question, foolish Knuckles. Foolish me." the other red head laughed louder, more maniacally. "I am your worst enemy, Knuckles. You are your worst enemy." And he struck Knuckles in the chest, with his fist, cutting out his breath.

Knuckles staggered towards his foe and attempted to slam his fist into his face, but his enemy was three steps ahead of him. He swung his leg, tripping up Knuckles, who stumbled and fell onto his other Knuckles laighed and lunged at his fallen victim.

"Give it up, Knuckles." he chuckled as he pinned his enemy down, repeatedly punching him in the stomach. "Admit it. You are your own worst enemy."

"Not true." Knuckles protested, as he grunted in pain and tried to unseat the villainous echidna. "My worst enemy is anyone that threatens to steal the Master Emerald." He managed to throw his evil double off him and slammed him to the ground, now on top of him.

The other Knuckles laughed derisively as he spread out his arms as if he had wings. "Do you not realize it?"

"Realize what?" Knuckles said, no longer punching and beating up his rival. That was his chance, the evil him rolled over, so that he was on top of him once again.

"Realize that you threaten the Master Emerald. Your mission. Angel Island." And his double began strangling him, gripping his throat in a tight deathly grip.

"You are too naive. You are too trusting. You are too distracted with all your friends." Spat his rival as he continued to throttle Knuckles, who was slowing passing out.

"It is a shock the Master Emerald has not been destroyed until now. If it had not been for you with your thoughts of your beloved Rouge, none of this would have happened." As Knuckles eyes begin to close and he started to fall limp, his enemy laughed coldly. "

You deserve to be overthrown. You are a failure at being a Guardian. What would your family think of you? Now die. The Master Emerald and Angel Island would be better off without you. Die."

* * *

 _So, Doctor._ he smiled, showing his sharp teeth again, his pure and bright white eyes glowing with dark intentions. _How do you want me to do this?_

 _Y-you d-d-don't h-h-have t-t-to d-do a-anyth-th-thin-g-g._ Eggman stammered as he wrung his hands together nervously and seemed to be on the verge of tears.

 _Oh, but I do._ Laughed Dark Sonic with a smile as he stepped towards the frightened man. _You see, Doctor. I must make you pay for your choices._

 _W-w-what ch-ch-choices?_ stammered the mad scientist as he continued to back away from the advancing evil form of Sonic.

 _All of this._ his enemy said as he spread his hands out, dramatically, to the empty, blank, colorless place. _This is all your doing, Doctor. Your defiance to me has brought you here._

 _What defiance?!_ exclaimed the cowering man as he crossed his arms, and straightened up. _I never once defied you!_

 _Oh, but you did, Doctor._ he responded as the mad man turned red in the face.

 _Stop calling me that!_ he bellowed, jumping up and down as he grew upset. _I know you do not mean it, you rotten and horrid creature!_

 _Okay, Doctor._ chuckled Dark Sonic as his foe became even angrier. _Watch it!_ he warned as Eggman made a move towards the evil being.

Eggman ignored him, however, and charged, head bowed low as he did so. He managed to tackle down the evil form, causing him to land on the ground.

 _That is it!_ Dark Sonic fumed as he began to phase in and out, ready to disappear. He faded away, much to the mad genius' relief.

 _Behind you._ his voice sent chills down Eggman's back and then he felt something cold and he knew he was in trouble.

* * *

Shadow regained his balance as he stood up and dusted himself off. The room was dark and seemed to go on forever.

 _I cannot keep exploring blindly._ And Shadow charged the light, causing it to glow in the palm of his hand. He looked around and saw the place he was in. It was darkness stretching endlessly, but the light allowed him to see it. He could feel it. He could smell it. The darkness seemed to be a living thing. Shifting and changing as he continued his exploration.

 _Shadow the Hedgehog._ The familiar voice caused Shadow to jump up and then immediately turn around, ready for a fight. He saw him. He looked almost like him, except he had grayish green stripes and slitted pupils within his lime green eyes. He walked slowly towards him, as if he lacked energy. The lethargic and sluggish movement only sent Shadow more on edge.

 _I have waited for you for so long._ The other hedgehog hissed as he lifted up his face, to stare into the golden, hazel, amber eyes of Shadow. To Shadow's astonishment the being in front of him lacked a mouth. There was just the nose, the eyes. The facial features absent of a mouth. But Shadow could feel his smile. The smile was something the Ultimate Lifeform could feel, was feral. Feel was cold. Feel was dark. Feel was evil.

 _What do you want?_ the scarlet striped hedgehog snarled as he charged another light. _And be careful what you do. It will be the last thing you ever do._

His companion began laughing. A cold, crazed, creepy and chilling laugh. The laughter, though silent, seemed to echo off the walls. It was then that Shadow realized the darkness. The shifting and changing darkness. The living darkness. Was coming from the other hedgehog.

 _Oh, Shadow._ He chuckled. _If only you knew._

 _Knew what?_

 _That you should be careful of me._ He suddenly disappeared and reappeared in front of the scarlet striped anthropomorphic hedgehog. _I guarantee you. It will be the last thing you do._

Then he pushed the stunned hedgehog, causing him to stumble into the darkness below. The darkness like a thick blanket, began to suffocate him.

 _Not again._ Shadow's voice was muffled as the darkness, cold as ice, wrapped around the hedgehog, entangling him within.

 _Give in to it._ The grayish green striped hedgehog urged his prisoner. _Become one with the darkness._

 _Never._ protested Shadow, gritting his teeth as he charged another spear. _CHAOS SPEAR!_

The light slashed the darkness. With similar command, another light. Then another one. Soon after a dozen lights or so, he was free.

 _Fool!_ snarled his rival as Shadow stood up, pulling off roils of darkness, which once dropping to the ground, writhed once and vanished into the ground. _You will regret that._

 _I already do._ laughed Shadow, who had gone half insane from the darkness which had tried to take over his mind. _Come here, Mephie._ he chuckled as he staggered towards the angry demonic entity.

 _Fool. You have lost yourself. Yet you insist on fighting._ Mephiles smiled darkly and pulled Shadow towards him.

He charged his own equivalent to the Chaos Spear, it was a violet and glowing light, more like a bar of light.

 _Now prepare to…_ And the light whistled as he embedded it into the still giggling and derisive Ultimate Lifeform. _Drown in DARKNESS._

* * *

Ugh. My head." moaned Tails as he regained consciousness. He looked up, from where he was sprawled on the ground, and saw - _Yikes! Should have stayed unconscious._ \- a rather upset and angry looking hedgehog. The hedgehog's cheeks were a rosy sheen of pink, even pinker than her spines. She held a hammer in her hand; this hammer was her signature Piko Piko Hammer.

Amy Rose was upset and angry, after all hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And Amy was indeed scorned, having been stood up by Sonic, on their promised date, she was devastated. Her devastation showed itself in somewhat violent ways. Sure, she had accidentally knocked Tails out with her hammer, when he had unexpectedly opened the door, but what was she doing banging down his door with her hammer in the first place?

"Sorry, Tails." she apologized, but before Tails could even reject or accept this apology, she began to rant. Her rant was about how Sonic only cared about himself and how she should have known better than to trust that "rat." Tails perplexed and still dealing with a pounding headache, interrupted her, mid rant,

"Please Amy," he said as he fixed his tail fur back into place and dusted himself off, before taking a drink of water to rid himself of the headache. "Tell me you did not come all the way over here and knocked me out, just to complain about Sonic." Amy looked annoyed, but chose to brush it off.

"No, of course not. I came here to talk to that self absorbed hedgehog and give him a piece of my mind!" she picked up her hammer and stormed up the stairs. "Just wait until I get my hands on that no good -" her voice faded away as she pounded up the second story, before Tails could even explain to her that Sonic had not returned.

Whatever. I will just let her take her rage out on all the stuff up there. He huffed as he returned back to his tornado. In time she will cool down and be infatuated with Sonic all over again. He was about to place the helmet on his head and start up his welding tools when he heard Amy's scream.

"What now!" he shouted in frustration as he stormed up the stairs, ready to give Amy a scolding. But what he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. Amy was on the ground, unconscious. Her hammer was broken, or shattered if you would prefer, in pieces. Standing over her, eyes glowing blood red with pure evil, was a hedgehog.

"Shadow?" Tails asked in disbelief. He grabbed his welding instrument, ready to strike the Ultimate Lifeform, but before he could,

" _Not Shadow_." the hedgehog, that looked like the scarlet striped and ebony anthropomorph, hissed, sending chills running up and down the little fox's spine. " _But I know the look is quite...uncanny."_ he turned to face the frightened fox, eyes glowing brighter, darkness clinging to his feet.

Tails could now see that, though he looked like Shadow, this creature, whoever or whatever it was, was not his rival friend. He was as ebony as Shadow, but he had grayish green stripes instead and his eyes were still blood red, with lime green irises, and slits for pupils.

"Who or what are you?" Tails asked as he raised the welding tool, ready to swing it like a bat. The being responded with a dark laugh that seemed to reverberate in the walls of Tails' home, his eyes danced like two twin flames.

" _I am a friend of Shadow's_." Tails lowered the welding machine, a little. " _I am surprised he hasn't mentioned me. We go way back. In fact, he is the reason I came here."_ Though he had no mouth, Tails could tell that the creature was smiling, but nothing felt dangerous or threatening about that smile. Tails dropped the welding machine and looked at Amy.

"What happened to her?" The creature shook his head and sighed deeply.

 _"She rushed me and I had to stop her in self defense._ " He glanced at Tails and began walking towards him. " _She will recover and I can repair her hammer."_

"Okay, I am glad to hear that." Tails said in relief and smiled at the stranger. "My name is Tails, what's yours?"

" _Mephiles_." The creature responded, eyes flashing brighter as he said the name. " _Mephiles the Dark._ "

* * *

Mephiles smiled, a cold and feral smile. He watched as the light stabbed straight through his enemy.

 _If only I could actually kill you, Shadow._ he whispered with insatiable desire for violence. _But I know you cannot die, yet._ He watched as the bar if light kept pushing inside of him, deeper and deeper. The Ultimate Lifeform still chuckled, deranged from his repeated fight with the darkness of Mephiles.

 _Drown, Shadow. Give into the waves of darkness. Drown!_ And Shadow soon fell limp in the entity's hands. The dark demonic creature placed Shadow down, gently, on the floor. The darkness swarmed around Shadow, pulling him deeper and deeper in. The bar of violet, dark light glowed as the darkness soon swallowed Shadow whole.

Shadow woke up and realized he was in a dark place. Not as he had been before when he had managed to enter the door, but as he was now. He was trapped in it. The darkness clung to him like a wet blanket. It suffocated and strangled him. It whispered his name and woke up the darkness that had been buried inside him a long time ago.

His eyes flashed with evil as he knew what he must do. The darkness had invaded his mind, his heart, and his soul. It had broken into his essence and the power core, taking over him. Not as Mephiles had many nights ago, but as if Shadow was welcoming the darkness as a guest. No violent or hostile takeover, no pain. It felt easy and wonderful. Like a burden lifted from his shoulders.

He laughed, the laughter could be heard by his ears. He raised his arms up to the sky and continued laughing. He walked inside the darkness, no longer thick and no longer suffocating. It felt like he was walking through air.

Mephiles appeared in front of him. Though the darkness was dark, the demon had his own dark, violet light to cast. Also, from the violet emerald in the palm of his clawed hand. He smiled, or at least the smile could be felt, darkly.

"Are you ready Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform?" the demon hissed with eyes flashing excitedly. "Are you ready to make the world drown as well?"

"I am ready," Shadow smiled wickedly. His eyes flashing with excitement as well, evil excitement. "To make the world drown in darkness."


	9. The Lightless Place

**IMPORTANT: ** All credits go to the Sonic Team who originally blessed us with a courageous, kind hearted, friendly, blue hedgehog. Only the main plot of the story is mine.

 **NOTE: ** No sexual scenes. Romantic relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog. Rouge and Knuckles may never admit their true feelings for each other. No other relationships are mentioned in this story, but one of the main characters will have unrequited feelings for Amy...

 **SECOND NOTE:** Any edits, comments email me or private message me (Email mentioned in profile).

Thanks for showing interest! Enjoy!

 **ATTENTION:**

Chapter 9 is up and ready for reading.

Comment and review, stay updated!

Should have Chapter 10, after Christmas break, but no guarantees!

Enjoy, have a good one!

\- **MC Productions 737**

Rising Darkness

\- Hidden Darkness -

 **Chapter 9: The Lightless Place**

"Aghhhh!" Sonic cried out as he was struck by a robot's rusty metallic arm, he hit the ground with a thud.

If it wasn't for that demon putting his power into these hunks of junk, I could defeat them in my sleep. he complained silently as he darted, dodging a robot's whirring saw blade.

"Haaa!" Sonic called out as he lunged at one of the smaller bots, ladybug like with metallic red and blue colors. Its eyes, with a violet glow, shot out two twin lasers, striking Sonic, holding him in a magical grip.

"Aaaaahhhh!" screamed Sonic as the dark energy tore through him. He flailed and writhed, trying to escape the glowing and smoldering light, but he could not. Finally, the lights died down and Sonic staggered to a counter, taking shelter behind it, while he recovered. He winced in pain, feeling like he had touched a live wire and been electrocuted or struck by lightning.

"How long is this going to go on?" he wondered, as he grimaced from the pain that was slowly fading away. "I need to help my friends." he muttered in defeat, then he saw it.

The crystalline, snow white gem. A chaos emerald! The one he had gotten from the ice serpent, from what seemed like decades ago, but was only about fifteen hours ago. He grabbed the emerald and smiled.

 _This game has now been made in my favor!_ He shouted, "Chaos Control!" and vanished, reappearing behind the bug like robot.

"Haaaa!" Sonic threw himself in a homing attack against the robot. "Take that!" he cried out as the robot imploded, violet smoky darkness seeping out from the ruins.

"I don't think so!" he called out as he shouted out the same command that allowed him to use his chaos control will. The chaos light tore through the darkness, causing it to evaporate or dissipate. "Haaa!" he called out once more as he attacked the robot with the saw blades, cutting into the weak core.

Moments later, Sonic was laying, more from relaxation than exhaustion, down on a pile of robot parts. All smashed and broken to pieces, not one in service. The darkness was completely destroyed or otherwise vanquished from the heap of scrap metal. He needed to catch his breath, but once he did he approached his friends. They were still laying on the ground, unconscious.

* * *

Nooooo! cried Dr. Eggman as he felt the cold touch of his enemy, Sonic, now in the form of Dark Sonic. He felt it in his head. In his veins. In his lungs. In his heart. He soon began to fade away, knowing that he could possibly pass out or even die from the dark coldness of Dark Sonic.

 _Oh, yes. Doctor._ Dark Sonic laughed evilly. _Oh, yes._ But then suddenly,

 _No!_ Eggman regained his balance and fought back the icy darkness that was invading him. _This is not real! You are not real!_

 _Doctor!_ snarled Dark Sonic, as the mad genius turned to face his foe, defiance in his eyes. _Fear me! I know you do. If you fear me, I will make it quick and painless._

 _No! Never! You are not real!_ Eggman shouted, jumping up and down.

 _No! Stop saying that._ seethed Dark Sonic. _This is your fault. You deserve this. You -_ But the evil form of Sonic was cut off as Eggman grabbed him, and threw him across the empty space.

 _Shut up!_ the mad man growled. "Shut up!" he shouted, the sound echoing through the silent place.

"Nooooo!" Dark Sonic hissed. "You will regret this, Doctor. You will regret this." And the dark anthropomorphic creature began to change. Change back to Sonic the Hedgehog. And once he did, Eggman was ready for him. He grabbed Sonic, picking him up and throwing him into a door that had appeared out of thin air.

"Go away!" Eggman said with triumphant glee as he watched Sonic fall, screaming, through the doorway. The door closed and another one appeared in place of it. The mad scientist threw the door open and walked through it, slamming it shut behind him. The door remained in the silent place, not disappearing like the other ones had.

* * *

Silver shook his head in shock. He was back in his time, but it did not look like how it did now. There was no grass. There were no people. The buildings and streets were destroyed, as if by fire. There were fire demons everywhere.

Flying ones, soaring through the air, which was filled with smoke and sulfur. There were fire worms, popping out of the ground, leaving more damage in their wake. There were fire salamanders spewing flames and causing more fires to erupt. The place looked like how it had before, like how it had when, When I first met him… Silver thought gravely, remembering Mephiles, all of a sudden. It had been a long time since he had remembered anything about him or his life.

 _Iblis must be here._ Silver thought as he soared through the air, with the aid of his psychokinesis. _I must find him and destroy him, again!_ Silver soared passed the ruins of a city that he knew was once full of life and the sound of cars, which were now burned and tangled messes of metal, heaped on top of one another.

He could see the inferno tornadoes that continuously tore the place up more, making it even worse than it already was. He soared past, dodging the air demons, striking a few with his telekinetic powers, destroying them with silent shrieks of surprise.

He found himself at the foot of a volcano, a mountain that bubbled with lava. He went into the mouth of the volcano and saw more inferno demons there, after destroying an inferno giant, he made his way to the rendezvous point that he and Blaze would often meet at, ready to fight Ibli. And sure enough, he met him there as well. Erupting from the oozing and churning magma, he roared with silent rage.

He looked as he had before, he had two glowing eyes, rows of small, serrated teeth, and he was made of the magma and lava rock that he had entrapped Silver's world in. His body was like a worms, but with little claws at either side, and he was like a glowing ember.

With another roar that shook the volcano, pieces of the ceiling fell into the lava, allowing Silver to make his way to the beast, via the makeshift platforms. He summoned the lava rocks that Iblis tried to hurl at him, allowing them to return to the monster. The demon roared with anger and sunk back into the lava.

He splashed and writhed inside the bubbling, thick, hot liquid and finally erupted from underneath the platform Silver was standing on. The telekinetic hedgehog was launched, with a shout of surprise, into the air and soon was falling, headfirst, into the burning, red hot fiery sea of magma.

* * *

Mephiles smiled at Tails, knowing that the little fox trusted him.

"Pleased to meet you!" Tails said, cheerily, as he shook the hand of the demonic entity.

"Likewise, Tails." grinner the demon, his eyes flashing more brilliantly than ever. "I need you help."

"Sure, what do you need?" Tails asked, still smiling at the entity.

"A chaos emerald." Mephiles said nonchalantly, but seeing Tails' startled expression added, "Shadow and Sonic need my help and I need the emerald in order to help them."

"Are they in trouble?!" squeaked Tails, worriedly. "Should we go get them, I can use my Tornado and -

"You cannot help them." hissed Mephiles in annoyance, but then he smiled gravely. "Only the emerald and I can save them now."

"Oh." Tails said, blushing with embarrassment. "Sorry, Mephiles. I had no idea it got to that extreme. I unfortunately don't have any emeralds." He backed away when he saw Mephiles eyes turn redder and saw him crystallize.

"Do not lie to me, little fox!" he thundered, eyes flashing brighter and the darkness thickening. "You have no idea the things I can do. The things I will do. Unless you give me that emerald!" Tails scratched his head in confusion and then stooped down to pick up the welding tool.

"Are you sure you are a friend of Shadow's?" he asked, pointing the tool at the seething and fuming demon. The demon cooled down, returning to his Shadow like form.

"Yes, I am." he spoke softly. "I just am from the darker side of a hero. You see I came to be, through Shadow." he explained with cunning.

"Oh?" Tails said, clearly not convinced as he did not lower his makeshift weapon.

Mephiles knew he needed to earn back Tails' trust.

"Sorry friend of Shadow's, I am just stressed with the fear of losing my friend, and his other friend, to the evils that threaten us." Mephiles assured Tails as he stepped closer to the little fox. "Are you sure you do not have one?"

"Yes, I am sure." Tails said, with relief that he did not have to fight Mephiles as an enemy. "Maybe Amy does, you can ask her when she returns to-" Tails had turned to where Amy was unconscious, or at least where she had been. Amy was gone.

"Where is your pink hedgehog friend." Mephiles queried, eyes flashing with concealed anger.

"I don't know." Tails said, looking around the room. "She was right there, knocked out. The hammer pieces are gone too." he said as he noticed the pieces were missing.

"She knows about me."' the dark entity hissed, then he turned to Tails. "The show is over, time for me to get going."

"Going where? What show? What?" Tails was befuddled, but the answer would come soon, with a flash of dark energy, Tails was knocked unconscious once again, but this time by Mephiles.

 _I_ _need you as a bargaining chip._ the demon laughed coldly. _Only then can I acquire what I need._ he scooped up the unconscious Tails, and with a chaos flash, he was gone. Tails had been foxnapped.

* * *

"The Lightless Place." Dr. Eggman muttered repeatedly as he flipped through pages in a book. "The Lightless Place."

"Where is it?" he grumbled angrily and impatiently. "Aw! There it is!" he shouted triumphantly as he tore the page out and begin reading, mumbling silently and incoherently.

"Why did I ever decide to use that place and that no good demon!" he whined as he began fumbling with switches and buttons on his computer and the counter. He flipped a switch and all of a sudden there it was!

'The Lightles Place.' He could see on multiple screens everything that was happening there. He could see a certain echidna, unconscious on the ground, an ebony, scarlet striped, hedgehog laughing and giggling insanely, and a silver hedgehog falling and screaming.

"Those idiots." grumbled Eggman. "They are way in over their heads!"

* * *

About a month ago...

They had been working on the ultimate revenge for the meddlesome anthropomorths. The discoveries that Dr. Eggman had made would come in handy, as Mephiles understood almost all of the strange dimensional places.

"Since you discovered it, Doctor." Mephiles' cold smile could be felt in the change of the atmosphere around the two evil plotters. "It is only right you give it a name."

"Right." laughed the demented scientist. "And I will name it, 'The Lightless Place.'"

"Perfect name for the dungeon, in which our enemies shall have a one way ticket into oblivion." sneered Mephiles, as he held the aqua blue Chaos Emerald in one clawed hand.

"Yes, Mephiles the Dark." The doctor grinned. "And together, we will make this plan a reality. Sonic will not even know what hit him, until it is too late.

"Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, will not know what him either." Mephiles laughed darkly, blood red, lime green, eyes flashing with cruel excitement.

* * *

The origins of 'The Lightless Place,' as Dr. Eggman called it, must be explained. This Place, which had no name frok its true creator, was designed an interdimensional prison. It once caged a dangerous and deadly force, but the force escaped long ago, before Sonic's world, or any of the other worlds, were fashioned into existence.

The place was to be an eternal sentence for this dark and evil force. There would be no light, no sound, no sights to enjoy. It would be a vast, white, not dark or light, empty space. There would also be no time, so no day or night as well. The silence would forever drive the force mad, the being would suffer for its offenses, for all eternity.

However, the force escaped into the inter dimensions, to continue its horrible, destructive, evil wishes. But this force will be explained in another story, not this one. The importance of this force, is the Place that was made for it. And its escape from that Place, leaving the Place free for Eggman and Mephiles to experiment with.

And they did just that. Dr. Eggman, having always been a scientific genius, plagued with morbid curiousities, took it a step too far. He gave Mephiles the Dark, that heartless, embittered, savage demon, the power to allow anyone he would please, to be subjected to the imprisonment and torture of that Place. Eggman was either too foolish or too prideful to think that, eventually, Mephiles would turn on him.

In fact, Mephiles had originally been planning to, but the treatment he received from his co - conspirator, only inspired him to betray him. Mephiles and Eggman had spent a month designing and creating the horrors, that Sonic's friends had faced, of that Lightless Place. Never had Eggman actually suspected that Mephiles had made a specific horror just for the mad scientist, himself.

* * *

To give Mephiles the ability to transport anyone to the Lightless Place, Eggman had to endow in Mephiles, a new charge if chaos energy. As Mephiles had previously, when he last had infected Sonic's world, taken on Shadow's form and, as a result, gained the power of Chaos Control, Mephiles already had Chaos energy in his physical makeup. But as Mephiles had been trapped inside the dimension, that Solaris had created to consume all the dimensions, while keeping himself from being destroyed in the process, the Chaos powers had weakened.

Although, Mephiles was an inter dimensional being, given the natural powers to teleport through dimensions and shift through time, he could not go into the Lightless Place, without Chaos energy. It would require a great anount of Chaos, to allow the demon to fulfill his wishes. And Eggman foolishly, gave him just as much, if not more. So, when the time cane for Mephiles to sentence his enemies to the Lightless Place, Eggman, having been officialized as his enemy, was sentenced there as well.

But since Eggman had known what the Place was, and had co-designed it, with the help of the demon, Mephiles, he was able to overcome and escape it. He had not expected it to be as hard as it was, because he did not count on Sonic, his true and hidden worst fear, to be included in the horrors of the Place. Eventually, Eggman came to his senses, realizing the real Sonic had not been taken to the Place, and had fought back his fear, opening a Door with his mind, allowing him to be free from the Place, once and for all.

If Mephiles could transport anyone to the Place, and he had done so, why were Sonic's friends still unconscious on the floor of Eggman's Base? Since only given a month of time to design the Place, to his wishes, Mephiles could not have the Ideal, therefore he did not learn how to fully and physically teleport his enemies to the Place. He could only move their essences into the Place, therefore explaining why Sonic's friends and the mad doctor, were still in the world, but at the same time being mentally tormented in the Place.

* * *

Mephiles and Eggman, were the only ones who knew about the truth behind the Place and the only ones who had designed it to their wishes. Therefore, the others would have to be bailed out or would need to figure it out in their own. To prevent this, Mephiles had created a mind wipe once an enemy entered the Place. The mind wipe would wipe away memories of the real life the enemy lived in, but woupd return once they went through the Doors. The Doors held a countless number of fears, each specifically designed for Mephiles' enemies.

The black door, with violet shadows, was for Shadow. Explaining why Shadow was eventually able to enter it, but Knuckles could not. The Door that was blood red, glittering with embers, and had a hot door handle, was for Silver. The last Door, was for Knuckles, which was why it had the multi dimensional colors of the Master Emerald. Eggman knew the secrets behind the Doors, and the evils that awaited him, so Mephiles had to be crafty with the doctor's fear.

Suspecting, and being confirmed right, that Eggman would avoid the Doors, knowing what dangers awaited, behind them, Mephiles designed a fear that would appear once all the Doors vanished. And that fear, was Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic was never intended to enter the Place, so Mephiles never made a fear for him. If he had, there would be confliction between the two Sonic's, and perhaps the real Sonic would overcome the fear Sonic. Besides that, Mephiles had other plans for the real Sonic, darker plans.


End file.
